Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants at Miami Lakes Educational Center and Technical College

In Florida's crowded nursing certificate market—with 110 programs competing—this Miami Lakes program appears to track right at the state median, with similar programs suggesting first-year earnings around $40,900 and debt near $10,550. That debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.26 is manageable by most standards, meaning graduates would owe roughly three months of their first year's salary. However, peer programs in Florida show enormous variation: top performers like Florida State College at Jacksonville report graduates earning $57,600, while this program's estimated outcomes sit $17,000 below that mark.

The concerning part isn't the debt—$10,550 is modest and well below the national median of $14,800 for nursing certificates. It's that estimated earnings lag behind the national median by over $3,200 annually. For a credential designed to fast-track students into healthcare jobs, starting $40,900 isn't terrible, but it's not competitive with what several Florida technical colleges are achieving. The extremely low Pell grant percentage (just 10% of students) raises questions about whether this program serves as many working-class students seeking healthcare careers as similar institutions do.

Your child could enter the workforce with reasonable debt, but they'd likely be leaving significant earning potential on the table compared to other Florida programs. Before committing, demand to see actual job placement rates and verify whether these estimated figures reflect reality—then compare seriously against programs posting $47,000+ outcomes.