Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants at Southwest Wisconsin Technical College

The 62% earnings jump from year one to year four tells you this program starts slow but accelerates quickly—but that first year at $22,853 is alarmingly low. This ranks in just the 10th percentile among Wisconsin nursing programs, where the state median is $37,000. Even after four years, graduates are earning roughly what their peers make immediately after graduation elsewhere in Wisconsin. Top programs like Herzing's campuses place graduates at $47,000 right out of the gate, more than double this program's first-year figure.

The modest $6,562 debt load is the silver lining here, keeping the debt-to-earnings ratio manageable even with those weak initial earnings. However, you have to ask why starting salaries lag so dramatically—is this primarily training nursing assistants rather than LPNs, or are graduates struggling to find full-time positions? The gap is too large to ignore when 21 Wisconsin programs offer similar credentials.

For families prioritizing minimal debt above all else, this works. But if your child needs to start earning immediately after graduation—whether to support themselves or begin loan repayment—this program's first-year outcomes should raise serious concerns. Consider whether other Wisconsin technical colleges might deliver both low debt and stronger starting wages.