Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants at NUC University

The extreme gap between Puerto Rico and mainland U.S. wages creates a complicated reality for NUC University's nursing program. While graduates earn just $10,394 in their first year—putting them in the bottom 5% nationally—they actually rank in the 60th percentile among Puerto Rico's 18 nursing programs. The $9,500 in debt is relatively modest, creating a nearly 1:1 debt-to-earnings ratio that looks manageable if these were mainland wages, but represents a heavier burden given PR's wage structure.

The 23% earnings growth to $12,768 by year four suggests some upward mobility, and graduates do outpace peers at Columbia Central and several other PR nursing programs. However, even the top-performing nursing program in Puerto Rico (Antilles at $11,508) earns just a quarter of the national median. This isn't about program quality—it reflects Puerto Rico's economic reality where nursing assistant and practical nursing roles pay far less than on the mainland.

For families planning to stay in Puerto Rico, this program performs reasonably well within the local market and the debt burden is manageable. But if your child plans to relocate to the mainland after graduation, they should understand that their certificate may require additional licensing steps, and the investment might make more sense at a U.S. mainland institution where they'd start their career closer to the $44,000 national median for these roles.