Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants at CUNY Bronx Community College

Similar nursing assistant and practical nursing programs in New York suggest first-year earnings around $45,000—right at the state median but well below what top programs achieve. When schools like Transitions Career Institute and AMG School of Nursing report graduates earning $65,000+, this program's estimated outcomes look modest, though the $13,800 debt burden from comparable programs at community colleges remains manageable.

The 0.31 debt-to-earnings ratio based on peer programs indicates you'd owe roughly three months of gross pay—a reasonable starting point for a healthcare credential. That said, nursing is a field where your specific license matters enormously. If this certificate leads to a Certified Nursing Assistant role rather than Licensed Practical Nurse credentials, those lower earnings become the ceiling, not just the starting point. With 57% of students receiving Pell grants, many families here are counting on quick workforce entry, which this program delivers, but the earnings gap compared to NY's stronger nursing programs is substantial.

The practical question: can your child advance from this certificate to an LPN or RN program later? Community colleges often provide that ladder, which could justify accepting these estimated outcomes as a first step. Without that pathway, you're looking at debt that's manageable but earnings that lag behind better-performing programs by $10,000-$20,000 annually—a difference that compounds significantly over a career.