Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants at Jones County Junior College

The most troubling signal here isn't the modest starting salary—it's that graduates earn 28% less four years into their careers than they did in year one. While Jones County Junior College's practical nursing program starts graduates at $34,148, they're making just $24,546 by year four, suggesting many leave the profession or shift to lower-paying roles. This puts the program in the bottom fifth nationally for earnings, even though it ranks at Mississippi's 40th percentile—a reflection of how nursing assistant programs across the state underperform national standards.

The debt load of $15,764 might seem manageable against that first-year salary, but the sharp earnings decline transforms it into a longer-term burden. Compare this to Mississippi's top programs: Mississippi Delta and Hinds Community College graduates earn over $42,000 annually, suggesting that program choice matters significantly within the state. Given that 38% of Jones County students receive Pell grants, these families can least afford a credential that loses earning power rather than building it.

For families considering this program, the question is whether those first-year earnings justify the investment when career trajectory moves backward. Unless a student has compelling geographic constraints keeping them in Ellisville, Mississippi offers notably stronger practical nursing programs with both higher starting salaries and presumably more sustainable career paths.