Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants at EHOVE Career Center

EHOVE Career Center's practical nursing program costs just $14,516—nearly $2,000 less than the Ohio median—but that affordability advantage comes with a concerning catch. While graduates rank in the 60th percentile among Ohio programs at year one, their earnings drop 7% by year four, falling from $43,684 to $40,750. Compare that trajectory to top Ohio programs like Cincinnati State, where graduates earn $53,908, a nearly 32% premium.

That debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.33 looks manageable on paper, and many graduates do start working quickly at reasonable wages. But the backward slide in earnings is unusual for nursing, where experience typically commands higher pay. This pattern could signal limited career advancement opportunities, perhaps because the program prepares students for LPN roles that hit a ceiling faster than RN positions elsewhere. For context, this program sits right at the national median for debt but trails in earnings momentum.

If your child is certain about a practical nursing career and needs the lowest possible debt burden, EHOVE delivers that. But understand you're trading immediate affordability for what appears to be a compressed earnings trajectory. Families should investigate whether graduates are positioned to bridge into RN programs later—that pathway could justify the early peak. Otherwise, spending slightly more at a program with stronger four-year outcomes might prove the better investment.