Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants at Camden County College

In New Jersey's competitive nursing market, comparable practical nursing programs typically produce first-year earnings around $54,000—a figure that outpaces the national median by more than $10,000. This suggests the state's healthcare demand translates into stronger starting salaries. Camden County College's estimated debt of roughly $15,000 falls below the state median, creating a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.28 that looks manageable on paper.

However, the gap between this program and New Jersey's top performers is worth noting. Similar programs at Essex County College and MCVSD report graduates earning above $62,000 in their first year—nearly $8,000 more annually than the state median this estimate is based on. That difference matters when you're calculating how quickly nursing debt gets paid down and how much financial breathing room a new graduate has.

The relatively modest debt load is this program's clearest advantage, particularly for the 39% of students receiving Pell grants. But without actual outcomes data for Camden County College specifically, you're making this decision based on what peer programs achieve rather than what this school's graduates actually earn. Before committing, get concrete job placement rates and ask recent graduates directly about their starting salaries—the school should be able to connect you with alumni even if federal data can't capture their outcomes yet.