Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants at Dorsey College-Wayne

This Dorsey College nursing program presents a concerning "early peak" pattern where graduates actually earn less four years after graduation than they do initially—a 35% earnings decline that's highly unusual in healthcare. While the first-year median of $41,283 isn't terrible, it falls below both Michigan's median ($44,383) and ranks in just the 40th percentile statewide among the 43 nursing programs available.

The debt picture offers some relief at $19,941, which sits in the favorable 17th percentile nationally and is reasonable compared to the state median. However, when graduates see their earnings drop from $41,283 to just $26,833 by year four, that debt becomes more burdensome over time. This earnings trajectory is particularly troubling given that nursing is typically a stable, growing field where experience should command higher wages.

With 77% of students receiving Pell grants, this program clearly serves a population that needs strong financial returns. Unfortunately, the data suggests significantly better options exist within Michigan—Schoolcraft Community College's program delivers nearly double the earnings at $75,104. For families seeking nursing education, this program's combination of below-average earnings and declining income trajectory makes it difficult to recommend when stronger alternatives are readily available in-state.