Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants at Southeast Arkansas College

The $18,605 first-year earnings from Southeast Arkansas College's practical nursing program raise a serious red flag—that's less than half what LPNs typically earn in Arkansas, where the state median is $38,276. This ranks in the bottom 10% statewide and bottom 5% nationally, suggesting graduates are either finding only part-time work or struggling to launch their nursing careers. When similar programs at Northwest Technical Institute and Arkansas State University-Beebe produce graduates earning over $44,000, something appears fundamentally broken here.

The debt load itself is reasonable at $10,496, especially compared to the national median of nearly $15,000. But debt means little when earnings are this anemic—even modest loan payments become burdensome when you're making barely above minimum wage. For context, the top programs in Arkansas are producing earnings 2-3 times higher, yet charging similar amounts in student debt.

The critical caveat: this data comes from fewer than 30 graduates, so it may not reflect typical outcomes. However, even accounting for statistical noise, these numbers suggest parents should thoroughly investigate why this program's graduates are earning so little. Are there issues with clinical placement? NCLEX pass rates? Job placement support? Until those questions have satisfactory answers, Arkansas families have multiple stronger options for practical nursing training that cost roughly the same but deliver dramatically better financial results.