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

Nursing programs in Washington State typically produce stronger earnings than the national picture suggests for South Seattle College. While comparable programs nationwide cluster around $44,000 in first-year earnings, Washington's median sits at nearly $51,000—a meaningful gap that reflects Seattle's robust healthcare market and higher cost of living. Similar programs at Clover Park Technical and Olympic College report graduates earning $48,000 to $53,000, suggesting South Seattle's students likely land in this range rather than at the national baseline.

The estimated debt load of roughly $13,700 appears manageable against projected nursing assistant earnings. Based on peer programs, that translates to about three months of gross income—a reasonable threshold for workforce certificates. Washington's typical debt burden runs slightly higher at $15,800, so this estimate actually positions South Seattle favorably if it holds true. The low Pell percentage (10%) is unusual for a community college nursing program and may indicate selective admissions or a different student demographic than you'd expect.

The uncertainty here matters more than usual because Washington nursing credentials show real variation in outcomes. If South Seattle's graduates perform like other Seattle-area programs, this looks solid—you're investing under $14,000 for quick entry into a field paying $50,000-plus. But without actual graduate data, you can't confirm whether this specific program connects students to those better-paying positions or settles closer to the weaker national average.