Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants at Texas County Technical College

In Missouri's tight nursing job market, comparable associate-level practical nursing programs nationally suggest first-year earnings around $51,700—a solid starting point, but one that needs context against the estimated $21,900 in debt this program carries. That's roughly $2,500 above the national median debt for similar programs, which matters when you're earning in the low-to-mid $50s range rather than registered nurse wages.

The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.42 sits in workable territory—you'd dedicate about five months of gross pay to this education—but there's meaningful variation in nursing assistant and LPN outcomes nationally. The top-performing quarter of similar programs produce earnings above $61,000, suggesting location and program specifics drive significant differences in graduate success. With only two schools in Missouri offering this credential and no reported data from either, you're operating without the local salary benchmarks that would typically help assess whether Houston's rural location helps or hurts job prospects.

For a school serving 60% Pell-eligible students, the open admission policy makes this accessible. But before committing, pin down actual placement rates and whether graduates stay in Missouri versus migrating to higher-wage markets. The estimated figures suggest reasonable economics if outcomes match peer programs, but you'll want clarity on which nursing roles graduates actually enter—LPN versus nursing assistant positions carry substantially different earning trajectories.