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

The immediate post-graduation earnings are startlingly low—$10,084 barely exceeds minimum wage—but the 120% jump to $22,158 by year four reveals what's actually happening here. Many nursing assistant programs lead to entry-level positions that pay modestly at first, and Caribbean University-Carolina's graduates appear to be following a clear path toward better-paying roles. Among Puerto Rico's practical nursing programs, this ranks in the 60th percentile, placing it solidly in the middle tier. The $15,250 debt load is exactly the national median for this program type, but that 1.51 debt-to-earnings ratio looks worse than it is due to those depressed first-year wages.

The real question is whether a bachelor's degree makes sense for this career path. Nationally, only 20 schools offer a bachelor's in practical nursing—most programs are associate degrees or certificates—and the modest earnings even at the top end suggest this four-year credential may be overqualification for the field. Caribbean University-Carolina serves a predominantly Pell-eligible population (72%), so financial considerations matter greatly. By year four, graduates earn slightly more than the state median, but they're nowhere near the $26,000 earned by graduates from Universidad Ana G. Mendez-Gurabo.

If your child is committed to nursing in Puerto Rico, this represents an affordable entry point with clear upward mobility, but investigate whether a shorter associate degree program might offer similar outcomes with less time and debt invested.