Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants at Columbia Central University-Caguas

These numbers raise immediate red flags, though the small sample size means they may not tell the full story. Graduates earn just $8,316 in their first year—less than half the Puerto Rico median of $9,355 for practical nursing programs. While earnings do double to $17,822 by year four, that's still far below what most nursing assistants earn on the island, and ranks in just the 40th percentile statewide. Compare that to nearby programs like Antilles School of Technical Careers, where graduates start at $11,508.

The debt picture offers one silver lining: at $3,500, it's lower than both the island median ($5,994) and dramatically below the national average ($14,803). With 81% of students receiving Pell grants, keeping borrowing minimal matters. However, even modest debt becomes problematic when first-year earnings barely cover basic living expenses. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.42 looks reasonable on paper, but only because both numbers are so low.

Given that this program ranks in just the 5th percentile nationally and underperforms the Puerto Rico median, families should seriously question whether this certificate will lead to sustainable employment. The small sample size means these could be outliers, but until stronger data emerges, other island nursing programs show clearer paths to livable wages. At minimum, ask the school directly about job placement rates and why graduate earnings trail their local competitors.