Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants at North Arkansas College

North Arkansas College's practical nursing program lands in the middle of Arkansas options but struggles nationally, ranking in just the 25th percentile for earnings. With first-year earnings of $38,783, graduates earn about $5,000 less than the national median for this credential—though they do slightly outperform Arkansas' state median. The concern isn't just the starting point: earnings actually decline to $36,974 by year four, a 5% drop when most nursing careers show steady growth.

The debt picture offers some relief. At $10,322, graduates carry notably less than both state and national averages, keeping the debt-to-earnings ratio manageable at 0.27. That's less than four months of income—reasonable for any nursing credential. However, the sample size here is quite small (under 30 graduates), which makes these figures less reliable than programs with larger cohorts.

For Arkansas families, this creates a straightforward calculation: you're paying less but also earning less. Top Arkansas programs like Baptist Health College Little Rock deliver $10,000 more in annual earnings. If staying local matters and cost is the priority, North Arkansas College keeps debt low. But if maximizing earning potential is the goal, other state programs offer substantially better returns without dramatically higher debt loads.