Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants at Caribbean University-Bayamon

The reported four-year earnings of $16,130 tell the real story here—nursing assistants in Puerto Rico face an earnings ceiling dramatically different from the mainland. While the first-year estimate of $51,744 comes from national peer programs, every Puerto Rico nursing program with actual data reports earnings in the $16,000 range, making that national figure essentially irrelevant for planning purposes.

At $8,000 in debt—half the national median for this credential—Caribbean University-Bayamon keeps borrowing modest. That debt load represents roughly six months of actual Puerto Rico nursing earnings, not the inflated national estimate. Still, with 75% of students receiving Pell grants, even this seemingly manageable amount matters for families with limited financial cushion. The concerning part is the sharp drop from year one to year four in the earnings data, though this likely reflects the unique realities of Puerto Rico's healthcare labor market rather than individual career trajectories.

The takeaway: Your child will likely earn around $16,000 annually in this field in Puerto Rico, not $50,000. If staying in Puerto Rico is the plan, weigh that income against the career's stability and demand. If mainland opportunities are realistic, those could change the calculation entirely—but banking on geographic mobility adds its own uncertainty and cost.