Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants at Compass Career College

Compass Career College's LPN program shows graduates earning $53,339 their first year—well above Louisiana's median of $44,323 for this credential and ranking in the 86th percentile nationally. That's a strong start, particularly for a program serving a majority low-income student population. However, the small sample size (under 30 graduates) means these numbers could shift significantly year to year, and there's a troubling pattern: by year four, earnings drop to $42,187, a 21% decline that's unusual for healthcare workers who typically see steady demand.

The debt picture is notably better than most nursing assistant programs—at $26,278, it's higher than Louisiana's median but still represents less than half a year's starting salary. With that debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.49, graduates should be able to manage payments if those early earnings hold. The real question is why earnings fall so dramatically. It could reflect career transitions, part-time work, or graduates moving into lower-paying healthcare roles.

For parents, this comes down to trusting limited data. The first-year earnings are genuinely promising, but that 21% drop and the small sample size make this a riskier bet than more established Louisiana programs like Fletcher Technical Community College, which shows similar starting pay with more consistent outcomes. If your child attends, having a backup plan for career advancement matters more than usual.