Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants at Midlands Technical College

The sharp earnings drop from $46,823 to $33,061 between year one and year four demands explanation before any family commits to this program. With only a small sample of graduates, these numbers might reflect unusual circumstances—perhaps graduates shifting from full-time LPN positions to part-time work, career changes, or data quirks that don't represent typical outcomes. That 29% decline is concerning enough that you'd want to speak directly with the program about graduate employment patterns.

Within South Carolina's practical nursing landscape, Midlands sits squarely in the middle—40th percentile for earnings despite relatively moderate debt. Several nearby alternatives offer notably better first-year outcomes: York Technical ($54,238), Orangeburg Calhoun ($51,754), and Tri-County ($49,100) all place graduates in stronger initial positions. The $17,875 debt load is actually below South Carolina's median for these programs, which helps offset the earnings concerns somewhat.

Given the small sample size and unusual earnings trajectory, treat these numbers as a yellow flag rather than a verdict. If your child is set on Midlands for location or other reasons, dig deeper: ask about job placement specifics, whether recent curriculum changes might affect outcomes, and what percentage of graduates maintain full-time nursing employment. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.38 would be reasonable if that $46,823 held steady—but without understanding why earnings crater by year four, it's impossible to assess whether this represents fair value.