Certificate (under 1 year)-7% vs national median880 grads tracked
Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants at Western Iowa Tech Community College
Ranked 95th of 147 certificate (under 1 year) programs in Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants by 5-year earnings.
Median · 1 year out
$26,286
middle 50%: $19,382 – $35,051
Median · 5 years out
$35,559
middle 50%: $26,008 – $51,052
Median · 10 years out
$42,146
middle 50%: $29,704 – $63,610
Salary trajectory
Median earnings vs the national median for Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants (certificate (under 1 year)) graduates.
This program (median)National median, same major & degreeMiddle 50% of graduates
Nursing certificate holders start with a median salary of $26k. Earnings reach $42k after ten years of employment.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau PSEO, release V4.13.0 2025Q4. Earnings are for graduates working in covered states; figures are medians in nominal dollars.
Will the degree pay for itself?
Drag the sliders — payback uses this program's actual salary curve.
Assumes a 6.5% APR loan and this program's median salary trajectory (interpolated between years 1, 5 and 10).
Paid off in
12.4 yrs
≈ $15,178 total interest
Same major at other universities
South Suburban College
$36,571 · 5 yrs out
Illinois Eastern Community Colleges - Olney Central College
$36,384 · 5 yrs out
City Colleges of Chicago - Richard J. Daley College
$35,953 · 5 yrs out
Waubonsee Community College
$35,870 · 5 yrs out
Spartanburg Community College
$35,840 · 5 yrs out
Kaskaskia College
$35,839 · 5 yrs out
Morton College
$35,681 · 5 yrs out
Morgan Community College
$35,447 · 5 yrs out
Ogden-Weber Technical College
$35,319 · 5 yrs out
Rock Valley College
$35,122 · 5 yrs out
Otero College
$34,840 · 5 yrs out
Orangeburg - Calhoun Technical College
$34,840 · 5 yrs out
Other majors at Western Iowa Tech Community College
Computer Programming (Associate)
$67,746 · 5 yrs out
Engineering/Engineering-Related Technologies/Technicians (Certificate)
$65,986 · 5 yrs out
Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies/Technicians (Associate)
$62,818 · 5 yrs out
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Associate)
$62,036 · 5 yrs out
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies (Associate)
$60,590 · 5 yrs out
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other (Associate)
$60,590 · 5 yrs out
Computer Software and Media Applications (Associate)
$60,590 · 5 yrs out
Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians (Associate)
$60,076 · 5 yrs out
Engineering/Engineering-Related Technologies/Technicians (Associate)
$57,796 · 5 yrs out
Electrical/Electronics Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians (Certificate)
$57,372 · 5 yrs out
Health Professions and Related Programs (Associate)
$57,237 · 5 yrs out
Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants (Certificate)
$56,895 · 5 yrs out
Related fields of study
Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services
Compare universities
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
Compare universities
Alternative and Complementary Medical Support Services
Compare universities
Alternative and Complementary Medicine and Medical Systems
Compare universities
Chiropractic
Compare universities
Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions
Compare universities