Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants at Fortis Institute-Port Saint Lucie

Fortis Institute's nursing program delivers above-average earnings but at a debt cost that's dramatically higher than typical for this field. At $46,000 in first-year earnings, graduates earn about $5,000 more than Florida's median for this credential—ranking in the 60th percentile statewide. However, they're carrying $24,708 in debt, more than double the state median of $10,379 for similar programs. For context, Florida State College at Jacksonville and several technical colleges produce graduates earning $47,000-$57,000 with typically far lower debt loads.

The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.54 means graduates face about 6-7 months of gross income in loans—manageable for most, but the question is whether this premium over less expensive alternatives is justified. Earnings barely budge over four years (just 1% growth), which is typical for vocational nursing roles where pay scales often hit a plateau quickly. Three-quarters of students here receive Pell grants, suggesting this debt burden falls on families with limited financial cushion.

The takeaway: Your child will likely earn a decent living as a practical nurse from this program, but shop carefully. If comparable Florida technical colleges or community colleges offer similar credentials at half the cost, the financial math strongly favors those alternatives. The earnings advantage Fortis shows over Florida's median is modest—not enough to justify paying 2.4 times the typical debt.