Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants at Howard College

Howard College's practical nursing program operates with modest upfront costs—$14,461 in median debt—but graduates earn $44,111 initially, placing them at the national median but in just the 40th percentile among Texas nursing programs. The state comparison matters here: Texas nursing graduates typically earn $46,000 within a year, and top programs in the state like Alvin Community College ($64,976) and Angelina College ($54,637) significantly outpace Howard's outcomes. You're paying similar debt for below-average Texas earnings.

The 34% earnings growth to $59,256 by year four is solid, suggesting graduates gain marketable skills that translate into career advancement. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.33 is manageable—your child could realistically pay this off within a couple years of focused repayment. However, the sample size here is quite small (under 30 graduates), which means one exceptional or struggling graduate can skew these numbers considerably.

For a Texas family, this program delivers serviceable but not exceptional value. If your child has offers from higher-performing Texas programs with similar debt levels, those would likely provide stronger returns. If Howard College offers geographic convenience or this is the most accessible nursing pathway available, the debt load won't be crushing—but understand you're choosing proximity over optimization.