Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants at Monty Tech

Monty Tech's practical nursing program performs a careful balancing act: it ranks in the 88th percentile nationally but only the 40th percentile within Massachusetts, where nursing wages run particularly high. The first-year median of $53,902 trails the state median by about $1,400 and sits well below top performers like Shawsheen Valley ($72,230) and Southern Worcester County ($67,498). However, with debt of just $10,711—below both state and national medians—graduates enter the workforce with manageable obligations and a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.20 that most would envy.

The 18% earnings growth to $63,442 by year four suggests solid career progression, and the program serves a significant population of Pell-eligible students (44%), making healthcare careers accessible to working-class families in the Fitchburg area. The gap between national and state rankings reflects Massachusetts' overall strength in healthcare compensation rather than any particular weakness in the program itself.

For families prioritizing low debt and a clear path to middle-class earnings, this program works. You're not getting the premium wages that graduates from the top Massachusetts programs command, but you're also avoiding financial stress while building toward steady income growth in one of the most recession-resistant fields available.