Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants at St Louis College of Health Careers-St Louis

The most alarming pattern here is the earnings collapse: graduates start at $39,609 but see their income drop 26% to just $29,344 by year four. This isn't typical wage stagnation—something is pushing these graduates out of better-paying positions or out of the field entirely. For context, the typical Missouri LPN earns $43,355, and nearby schools like North Central Missouri College ($59,889) and Mineral Area College ($55,389) place graduates in substantially stronger positions that hold steady over time.

The debt burden compounds the problem. At $24,434, students here borrow nearly twice the state median of $14,936—a particularly heavy load for a program serving 80% Pell-eligible students. While the debt-to-first-year-earnings ratio of 0.62 looks manageable initially, it becomes untenable once earnings drop. By year four, these graduates are earning less than they did as new graduates, making that loan balance increasingly difficult to service.

For families considering this program: there are 33 LPN programs in Missouri, many with better outcomes and lower debt. Community colleges like Mineral Area offer the same credential with both higher starting salaries and lower borrowing. Unless there's a compelling geographic reason to attend here, the combination of above-average debt and declining earnings makes this a difficult investment to justify when stronger alternatives exist in-state.