Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants at South Plains College

With a small sample size flagging caution, South Plains College's practical nursing program shows graduates earning $42,000 their first year—landing at the 40th percentile both nationally and within Texas. That's about $4,000 below the Texas median for this credential, a meaningful gap in a state where many community colleges produce stronger outcomes. The top Texas programs push graduates toward $55,000-$65,000, suggesting location and clinical placement networks matter considerably in this field.

The debt picture offers some reassurance: at $16,705, it's reasonable for a healthcare credential and translates to a 0.40 debt-to-earnings ratio. That's manageable on a practical nurse's salary, though graduates will still face several years of loan payments. For the 40% of students here receiving Pell grants, the relatively contained debt load is particularly important.

The bottom line? This program gets students credentialed without crushing debt, but it's not maximizing earning potential compared to other Texas options. If your child is committed to staying in the Levelland area or has strong ties to South Plains College, the math works—just know they're likely leaving $10,000+ annually on the table compared to top-performing programs elsewhere in the state. That difference compounds significantly over a nursing career.