Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants at Southern Technical College

Southern Technical College's nursing certificate graduates earn just $24,817 one year after completion—barely half the Florida median of $40,922 for the same program. This places it in the bottom 10% of Florida nursing programs and the bottom 5% nationally. When multiple Florida schools produce graduates earning $47,000-$57,000 annually, often with similar or lower debt loads, these numbers demand explanation. The relatively low debt of $9,500 offers little comfort when earnings are this far below state standards.

The gap becomes more alarming when you consider that practical nursing is typically a stable, recession-resistant field with consistent entry-level wages. That graduates from nearby Orlando institutions like Herzing University earn nearly double suggests either the program inadequately prepares students for higher-paying positions, students face barriers to full-time employment, or placement outcomes differ significantly from peer schools. With 82% of students receiving Pell grants, these low earnings particularly impact students who can least afford extended financial struggle.

For Florida families, this program appears to be an outlier in the wrong direction. The modest debt won't bury graduates, but earning $24,817 means likely qualifying for public assistance even while working as a healthcare professional. Parents should directly ask Southern Technical College why their graduates earn half what students at Florida State College at Jacksonville or other Florida programs make, and whether there are placement or accreditation factors affecting outcomes.