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Practical Nursing at Durham Technical Community College

Durham, NC · Public · Certificate · Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants

a compact campus enrolling 3,195 students in Durham, NC.

Program Analysis

Graduates earn $46,533/yr, edging above the $44,151 national average for Practical Nursing — a modest premium that suggests solid regional demand for this trade.

With a 245.1x return on tuition over ten years, the financial case for this program is compelling by virtually any measure.

The 0% spread between best and worst-case AI scenarios signals strong resilience. Most careers in Practical Nursing involve physical, hands-on work that current AI cannot replicate.

At $10,500 in median debt against $46,533 in first-year earnings, graduates can expect to clear their loan balance quickly — a hallmark of affordable trade programs.

Durham Technical Community College ranks #30 among 703 Practical Nursing programs, placing it in the top 5% nationally by our financial outcomes measure.

For students considering alternatives, 2 registered apprenticeship programs align with Practical Nursing careers — offering paid training instead of tuition costs.

84 /100
TradeSchoolOutlook Score
81
Low End
84
Score
84
High End
Earnings $46,533/yr (5% vs median)
AI-Proof AI-Proof (82% shielded)
Job Market Very Large (258,500 openings/yr)

Earnings Overview

Projected 10-Year Earnings
$487K
1.0% annual growth
Earnings Multiple (In-State)
245.1x
10-year earnings ÷ tuition
Viable Career Paths
2 of 2
Occupations with strong AI resilience

Projected 10-Year Earnings

Based on actual graduate salary data and Bureau of Labor Statistics growth projections.

Program Tuition (In-State)
$1,986
Out-of-state: $6,594
Median Debt at Graduation
$10,500
2.7 months of Year 1 earnings

Top Career Paths

Top career paths for Practical Nursing graduates by median salary.

Career Path Median Salary Growth AI-ProofAI
Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses $62,340 +2.6% 75%
Nursing assistants $39,530 +2.3% 90%
Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses
$62,340
+2.6% growth 75% AI-proof
Nursing assistants
$39,530
+2.3% growth 90% AI-proof

About Practical Nursing Careers

Your career begins on the front lines of patient care as a nursing assistant. In a hospital or long-term care facility, your active days will be spent helping patients with essential tasks like bathing, eating, and moving safely. You’ll be a vital part of the medical team, taking blood pressure and temperature and serving as the eyes and ears for the supervising nurses.

Read the full Practical Nursing career guide →

Compare & Explore

Practical Nursing Overview

View all 703 schools offering Practical Nursing →

Practical Nursing at Other Schools

Harmony Health Care Institute ($85,953) Schoolcraft Community College District ($75,104) Saint Michael College of Allied Health ($74,782) Otero College ($74,405) Beal University ($72,467) Unitek College ($72,368) Shawsheen Valley School of Practical Nursing ($72,230) Southern Worcester County Regional Vocational School District ($67,498)

Other Majors at Durham Technical Community College

Health and Medical Administrative Services ($70,267) Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing ($66,430) Ophthalmic and Optometric Support Services and Allied Professions ($61,860) Criminal Justice and Corrections ($49,893) Computer and Information Sciences, General ($46,966) Computer and Information Sciences, General ($45,847) Health and Medical Administrative Services ($38,041) Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods ($33,260)

Considering a 4-Year Degree Instead?

Compare Practical Nursing degree programs on DegreeOutlook →

Compare how bachelor's degree graduates fare on earnings, ROI, and AI resilience.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does Durham Technical Community College's Practical Nursing program score?
A score of 84/100 indicates strong financial outcomes. Durham Technical Community College's Practical Nursing graduates fare well on earnings, job market size, and return on investment.
Will AI replace Practical Nursing jobs?
Highly resilient. Practical Nursing careers are fundamentally hands-on — they require physical presence and manual skill that AI cannot replicate. Graduates retain 2 of 2 viable career paths even under conservative assumptions.
What's the typical debt for Practical Nursing graduates from Durham Technical Community College?
Median debt of just $10,500 against $46,533/yr in starting salary means graduates can clear their loans in under 3 months. This is one of the more affordable paths in our dataset.
What makes Durham Technical Community College's Practical Nursing program stand out?
Ranked #30 of 703 programs nationally, Durham Technical Community College lands in the top 5%. The ranking reflects a combination of graduate earnings, return on investment, and job market alignment.
Are there apprenticeship options for Practical Nursing?
There are 2 registered apprenticeships connected to Practical Nursing occupations. The earn-while-you-learn model means no tuition debt and immediate income, though the training period is typically longer.
How many job openings are there for Practical Nursing graduates?
The career paths mapped to Practical Nursing have roughly 258,500 combined annual openings nationally, making this a very large job market. Trade careers in this field benefit from consistent replacement demand as workers retire.
Data from College Scorecard, BLS, and AI resilience research. Methodology & sources →