Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants at Central Georgia Technical College

Central Georgia Technical College's practical nursing program charges more than most Georgia programs but delivers below-average results. At $16,479 in debt, graduates pay roughly $3,500 more than the state median, yet earn $42,152—below both the state median and the state's 40th percentile. More concerning, earnings actually decline over four years, dropping to $39,811, while graduates from top Georgia technical colleges like Augusta Tech start at $51,000 and typically see their income rise.

The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.40 isn't catastrophic—graduates can realistically manage these loans—but the comparison to nearby alternatives is hard to ignore. For the same type of credential, programs at Athens Technical College or Southern Crescent Technical College consistently produce stronger earnings trajectories without charging premium prices. The moderate sample size suggests these outcomes are reasonably reliable, not statistical flukes.

For a parent evaluating this program, the math doesn't add up favorably. Your child would graduate with above-average debt for a Georgia nursing certificate while earning $6,000 to $11,000 less annually than peers at better-performing technical colleges in the state. Unless there are compelling geographic or personal reasons to attend Central Georgia Tech specifically, exploring those higher-performing alternatives would likely deliver better financial outcomes for the same career path.