Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants at Brookline College-Tempe

With nursing assistants in high demand nationwide, earning under $30,000 annually should raise immediate concerns. Brookline College-Tempe's practical nursing program produces graduates earning $29,376 in their first year—a third less than the national median of $44,134 and in the bottom 5th percentile nationally. While these earnings match Arizona's median, that's misleading: other Arizona schools demonstrate far stronger outcomes. GateWay Community College graduates earn more than double ($60,620), and even Pima Community College delivers 60% higher earnings at $47,205. The slight earnings dip to $28,675 by year four suggests stagnant career progression, though the program's modest $9,500 debt load keeps the financial damage relatively contained.

The value disconnect becomes stark when you consider Arizona's options. For a similar investment in time and comparable or lower debt, students could access programs producing substantially better outcomes. Brookline serves many low-income students (58% receive Pell grants), but serving this population well would mean connecting them to stronger employment opportunities, not just lower debt. A debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.32 is manageable, but when the earnings themselves barely clear $30,000 annually in a healthcare field, "manageable" isn't the same as "worthwhile."

If your child is committed to practical nursing in Arizona, community colleges offer dramatically better returns. This program's only advantage is its below-average debt, but that's cold comfort when graduates earn half what their peers make elsewhere in the same state.