Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants at Scioto County Career Technical Center

Scioto County Career Technical Center's practical nursing program faces a fundamental math problem: graduates earn about $12,000 less annually than typical Ohio LPN programs and rank in just the 25th percentile statewide. While the $10,250 debt load is manageable—considerably lower than Ohio's $16,364 median—the earnings gap is substantial enough that it won't offset the financial advantage.

The numbers tell a stark story when you look at Ohio alternatives. Top community college programs like Cincinnati State and Cuyahoga produce graduates earning $48,000-$54,000 within a year, nearly $20,000 more than Scioto County's $31,136 median. Even accounting for the 17% earnings growth to $36,446 by year four, this program's graduates remain significantly behind their peers across the state. For a career-focused program serving a predominantly low-income student body (68% Pell recipients), these lower earnings represent real opportunity cost.

The low debt here matters, but it doesn't change the core issue: your child would likely earn far more by choosing almost any other Ohio LPN program, even with slightly higher borrowing. Given that 77 schools offer this credential in Ohio and many deliver substantially better outcomes, this program makes sense only if geographic constraints absolutely require staying local. Otherwise, the earnings gap is too large to ignore.