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

Based on comparable programs in Tennessee, this practical nursing certificate would leave graduates with roughly $9,500 in debt—well below the state and national typical burden for this credential. With first-year earnings around $40,179, the debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.24 means graduates would owe less than three months' salary, a manageable starting point for most working adults. That said, the earnings lag behind what similar programs produce elsewhere in Tennessee, particularly the stronger TCAT locations where first-year earnings can reach $46,000 to $51,000.

The practical reality is that this program delivers middle-of-the-pack outcomes for Tennessee nursing assistants and LPNs, which means graduates enter a stable field with reasonable debt but without the earnings advantage seen at peer schools just an hour or two away. The 42% Pell grant rate suggests many students here are accessing affordable training, but they're not getting the same financial return as students at Nashville, Chattanooga, or even the smaller TCAT campuses in Athens or Hartsville. For families prioritizing proximity or already committed to Shelbyville, the low debt makes this a defensible choice. But if logistics allow, comparing placement rates and salary outcomes at higher-performing TCAT locations could reveal whether the earnings gap reflects local job market limitations or program-specific differences worth considering.