Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants at Cincinnati State Technical and Community College

Cincinnati State's practical nursing program faces an unusual challenge: strong initial earnings that mysteriously decline by 25% over the first four years. First-year graduates earn $53,908—far above Ohio's median of $43,207 and ranking in the 88th percentile nationally. That's excellent. But by year four, earnings drop to $40,248, falling below both state and national benchmarks. This pattern is atypical for healthcare programs, where earnings usually grow steadily with experience.

The debt picture adds another layer of concern. At $21,438, graduates carry about $5,000 more debt than the state median, though the manageable debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.40 means the initial salary can cover it. The real question is why experienced nurses from this program see declining rather than growing paychecks. It could reflect graduates moving to part-time work, changing specialties, or leaving the field—factors worth investigating before enrollment.

For families seeking nursing credentials, this program delivers strong immediate job placement but lacks the earnings trajectory you'd expect. Compare this to other Ohio programs like Cuyahoga Community College, where graduates maintain earnings near $49,000 throughout their early careers. If your child needs quick entry to healthcare work, the first-year numbers justify the investment. But if long-term nursing career growth matters, the earnings decline here deserves serious scrutiny.