Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants at Genesee Valley BOCES-Practical Nursing Program

Genesee Valley BOCES serves a predominantly lower-income student body (76% Pell-eligible) but delivers earnings below New York's median for practical nursing programs, ranking in just the 40th percentile statewide. While the first-year median of $43,008 sits slightly below the state's $45,021 median, graduates actually see their earnings decline to $40,730 by year four—a troubling 5% drop during what should be a period of wage growth. The top practical nursing programs in New York, like Transitions Career Institute and AMG School of Nursing, produce graduates earning 50-60% more.

The modest debt load of $16,634 keeps this program from being a complete write-off—it's manageable relative to first-year earnings. However, the declining wage trajectory raises questions about job placement quality or whether graduates are finding steady full-time positions. For families banking on nursing's traditionally stable career path, these numbers suggest graduates may be landing in less desirable positions or facing hours reductions over time.

Given the robust data sample, these patterns are reliable. If your child is set on this route, push the program hard on job placement specifics: Are graduates working full-time? In hospital settings or nursing homes? The earnings gap between this program and New York's top performers is too significant to ignore without clear explanations about why wages actually decrease after graduation.