Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants at Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Crump

Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Crump stands out for one thing: exceptionally low debt. At just $6,000, graduates here carry roughly a third of the state median and less than half the national median for practical nursing programs. With first-year earnings of $44,134, that translates to a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.14—meaning graduates could theoretically pay off their entire loan in less than two months of work. Among Tennessee's 29 practical nursing programs, this ranks in the 60th percentile for earnings, putting it slightly above the state median of $39,477, though it trails the top programs in Nashville and Chattanooga by $6,000-$7,000 annually.

The concerning pattern is what happens after that first year: earnings drop to $36,997 by year four, a 16% decline. This is unusual for nursing programs, which typically see stable or rising wages as graduates gain experience. However, the small sample size here—fewer than 30 graduates in this cohort—means this could reflect a few outliers rather than a reliable trend. It's possible some graduates moved to part-time work, changed positions, or left the field entirely.

For parents focused on minimizing debt risk, this program delivers: your child could enter the nursing workforce with manageable debt and solid initial earnings. Just be aware the earnings trajectory may not match what you'd see at higher-earning Tennessee programs, and these numbers come from a limited sample that may not fully represent typical outcomes.