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

The data here tells two very different stories, and parents need to understand why. That estimated $51,744 first-year figure comes from national LPN programs—but this is Puerto Rico, where the actual four-year earnings reported for this program are $16,130. That's not a typo or a career dip; it reflects Puerto Rico's fundamentally different healthcare labor market, where nursing wages run about 70% below the mainland. Other PR nursing programs report similar outcomes around $16,200, which aligns much more closely with what graduates from Caribbean University-Carolina actually earn years into their careers.

The $8,000 debt load is manageable in absolute terms—half the national median for this credential—and serves a predominantly low-income student body (72% receive Pell grants). But against realistic PR nursing wages of $16,000-$17,000, that's still half a year's salary to repay. The critical question is whether your child plans to work in Puerto Rico or relocate to the mainland after graduation. If staying on the island, expect earnings closer to that four-year figure, making the debt reasonable but the overall financial trajectory modest. If willing to move stateside where LPNs command $50,000+, this becomes a much stronger investment—though you'd want to verify that this program meets mainland licensing requirements in your target state.