Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants at Fayetteville Technical Community College

Fayetteville Technical Community College's practical nursing program produces graduates who earn above both state and national medians, placing it solidly in the upper half of North Carolina's 48 nursing programs. At $47,495 in first-year earnings, graduates start approximately $3,400 above the national median and $1,000 above the state median—meaningful differences for an entry-level healthcare role. The debt burden of $14,746 translates to a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.31, which means graduates owe less than four months of their first year's salary, a comfortable starting position for most families.

The trajectory looks stable, with earnings growing 8% to $51,076 by year four. While this doesn't place Fayetteville Tech among the state's highest earners—programs like Isothermal and McDowell Technical see graduates exceeding $51,000 in year one—the program delivers consistent results without the wild variability that sometimes plagues smaller nursing programs. The moderate sample size suggests reliable data rather than statistical noise.

For families in the Fayetteville area, this represents a straightforward path into nursing with manageable debt and earnings that immediately support independent living. You're paying less than the state average in debt while earning slightly more than typical North Carolina nursing graduates—a favorable trade that should appeal to budget-conscious families seeking stable healthcare careers.