Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants at Northern Essex Community College

Northern Essex's practical nursing program graduates earn $50,770 within a year—well above the national median but noticeably below what Massachusetts students typically achieve. While this ranks in the 78th percentile nationally, it falls to the 40th percentile among the state's 25 nursing programs. The top programs in Massachusetts routinely produce graduates earning $62,000 to $72,000, suggesting students might find better opportunities at technical schools like Shawsheen Valley or community colleges like Mount Wachusett. That said, with debt of just $11,452 (below both state and national medians), the financial risk here is manageable—you'd need less than three months of earnings to cover the full loan balance.

The challenge is that Massachusetts pays LPNs well compared to most states, yet this program's graduates aren't quite capturing that premium. At $55,338, the state median sits $4,500 higher than what Northern Essex grads typically see. Given the small sample size (under 30 graduates), these numbers could shift year to year, but the gap between this program and the state's stronger performers is substantial enough to warrant attention.

For families committed to staying in the Merrimack Valley area, Northern Essex offers low-debt entry into a stable field. But if your child can access one of the higher-performing technical programs within commuting distance, the $10,000+ earnings difference would compound significantly over a nursing career.