Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants at Centura College-Richmond Main

Nursing programs in Virginia show enormous variation, with top performers producing graduates earning $50,000-$60,000 within a year. Based on comparable programs across the state, Centura's practical nursing certificate suggests first-year earnings around $44,500—squarely at the Virginia median but well below what some peer institutions achieve. That's a meaningful gap when you're servicing educational debt, even though the estimated $20,500 in borrowing sits at a manageable 0.46 ratio to first-year income.

The program serves a predominantly low-income student body (73% receive Pell grants), which makes the debt figure particularly important. Similar Virginia programs typically carry about $16,000 in debt, suggesting Centura students may borrow somewhat more than peers elsewhere in the state. At least earnings appear to grow: the program reports $48,200 four years out, a modest but real increase over time.

The central question is whether this program can match the outcomes of Virginia's stronger performers. If your child can access one of the community college or private options producing $50,000+ earners, that extra $6,000-$10,000 annually makes debt repayment substantially easier. Since these figures are estimates based on peer programs rather than Centura's actual graduate outcomes, ask the school directly about their placement rates and starting salaries—they should be able to tell you where their graduates actually work and what they earn.