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

South Texas College's practical nursing program sits well below the Texas median, with first-year earnings of $33,171 compared to the state's $46,004—placing it in just the 25th percentile statewide. For context, top Texas programs like Alvin Community College see graduates earning nearly double at $65,000, and even the state median is $13,000 higher. The national comparison is worse: this program ranks in only the 16th percentile among all practical nursing certificates.

The program's one clear advantage is debt. At $6,507, graduates carry less than half the typical burden for Texas nursing programs ($14,535), and far less than the national median. This translates to a debt-to-earnings ratio of just 0.20—meaning debt equals roughly two months of income. Earnings do grow 18% by year four to $39,048, but that still trails behind where other programs start.

For a family considering this program, the math is straightforward: you'll graduate with minimal debt but substantially lower earning potential than peers from other Texas nursing programs. If staying in the McAllen area is essential and keeping debt near zero is the priority, this makes sense. But if your child can access nearby programs—even community colleges with slightly higher costs—the earnings difference could mean $100,000+ more over a decade. Unless geography locks you into this choice, other Texas programs offer considerably better returns.