Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants at Florida Education Institute

In Miami's competitive healthcare market, a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.24 is manageable—but that's the good news about this program. The troubling data point is what happens after that first year: earnings at Florida Education Institute drop to $20,738 by year four. That's a dramatic decline that runs counter to typical nursing career trajectories, where experience usually brings higher pay.

Similar nursing assistant and practical nursing programs in Florida suggest first-year earnings around $40,900, which tracks with what you'd expect for entry-level nursing roles in the state. But looking at the strongest programs—Florida State College at Jacksonville graduates earning $57,579, or even Herzing campuses at $47,310—there's clearly wide variation in outcomes. That fourth-year figure is particularly concerning because it sits well below what even first-year graduates from peer programs typically make, suggesting either employment challenges or career progression issues specific to this school's graduates.

For a family where 52% of students need Pell grants, the estimated $9,861 debt load is relatively modest. But the real question is whether this program provides the clinical training and employer connections needed to compete in Miami's healthcare market. Before committing, get specific answers from the school about job placement rates, which hospitals and clinics hire their graduates, and what's causing that earnings drop-off. In nursing, where you train matters as much as the credential itself.