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

Washington's practical nursing programs typically produce significantly stronger earnings than this estimated figure suggests—the state median sits above $50,000, with Clover Park and Olympic College graduates earning well into the high $40,000s to low $50,000s in their first year. While we're working with national estimates here rather than Renton Tech's actual outcomes, the $44,000 baseline is noticeably below what peer programs in Washington typically deliver. That gap matters when you're carrying debt into a field where immediate earning power determines how quickly you can stabilize financially.

The estimated debt load of $13,671 appears manageable at first glance—it's actually below both state and national medians for these programs. With a debt-to-earnings ratio around 0.31, comparable programs typically see graduates able to handle their monthly payments without severe strain. The real question is whether Renton Tech's graduates match those stronger Washington earnings or fall closer to the national average. Given that 18% of students receive Pell grants (relatively low for a technical college), the student body may have different financial resources than at other institutions.

Without Renton Tech's actual graduate outcomes, you're making a decision based on what similar programs produce rather than proven results from this specific school. If the program performs like Washington peers, you're looking at a solid credential that pays for itself within months. If it tracks closer to the national estimate, the value proposition weakens considerably. Request placement rates and ask where recent graduates are working—those concrete details matter more than these broad estimates.