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

Texas State Technical College's practical nursing program starts graduates at $45,955—slightly above the national median but notably below Texas's state average of $46,004. More concerning, graduates here rank in just the 40th percentile among Texas nursing programs, meaning six out of ten comparable programs in the state deliver better outcomes. When you consider that top Texas programs like Alvin Community College produce graduates earning $65,000, that's a $19,000 annual difference for similar training.

The earnings trajectory adds another wrinkle: median pay drops to $41,586 by year four, a 9% decline when most workers expect raises. This backward slide is unusual for healthcare roles and suggests graduates may be concentrated in lower-paying LVN positions rather than advancing into better-compensated specialties. The debt load of $15,925 is manageable relative to first-year earnings (0.35 ratio), but you're financing credentials that appear to lose value over time rather than appreciate.

For families considering this program, the question becomes whether slightly-above-national performance justifies below-average results within Texas. If your child plans to work in-state—where most nursing professionals stay—they'd benefit more from targeting programs in the top half of Texas performers. The moderate tuition won't trap graduates in debt, but it also won't launch them toward the stronger earning potential available at peer institutions across the state.