Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing at Central Texas College

Nursing certificates in Texas show a striking range—from programs producing graduates earning around $45,000 to substantially higher outcomes. Based on similar nursing certificate programs nationally, Central Texas College's estimated first-year earnings of $66,398 would position this program well above the Texas median, though we can't verify whether this school's actual graduates achieve these results given the small sample size.

The estimated debt of $19,250 lands between the state and national medians for nursing certificates, creating a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.29. If these estimates hold true, graduates would owe roughly 3.5 months of their first-year salary—a manageable burden that many nurses could pay down within a few years. The challenge is that these figures come from peer programs rather than tracked outcomes from Central Texas College itself, making it difficult to assess whether this particular program delivers the stronger earnings suggested by national comparables or results closer to the $45,000 range typical in Texas.

For families, the decision hinges on why the earnings data is suppressed. If it's simply because few students have graduated recently from a solid program, the national benchmark may be reasonable. But if outcomes are genuinely uncertain or variable, you're taking on debt based on what similar programs achieve elsewhere rather than what this school demonstrably delivers. Before committing, try to talk with recent graduates or nursing employers in the Killeen area to gauge whether this program's completers are actually landing the positions that would justify these estimated figures.