Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants at Community College of Denver

The first-year earnings of $23,614 are a serious red flag—this ranks in just the 10th percentile among Colorado's 22 nursing programs, meaning 90% of comparable programs in the state produce better immediate outcomes. While earnings more than double by year four to reach $48,772, that still lags significantly behind both Colorado's median of $40,098 and the national median of $44,134. Compare this to Otero College, where Colorado nursing graduates earn $74,405, or even Morgan Community College at $64,066—both are public institutions likely with similar tuition structures but vastly different earning outcomes.

The $12,000 debt load is reasonable and slightly below both state and national medians, which partially offsets the earnings concern. However, the small sample size here is crucial—with fewer than 30 graduates tracked, these numbers might not represent the typical student experience. A few outliers could be dragging down the average, or this could reflect timing issues with when students found work after graduation.

Before committing, your child should investigate why first-year earnings are so dramatically low and whether program graduates are securing LPN positions immediately or working as nursing assistants initially. With so many stronger alternatives in Colorado's community college system, this program needs to demonstrate specific advantages—location, schedule flexibility, accelerated completion—to justify its weaker placement record.