Certificate (under 1 year)+14% vs national median239 grads tracked
Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants at Illinois Eastern Community Colleges - Wabash Valley College
Ranked 55th of 147 certificate (under 1 year) programs in Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants by 5-year earnings.
Median · 1 year out
$23,524
middle 50%: $18,101 – $28,902
Median · 5 years out
$43,691
middle 50%: $26,704 – $59,353
Median · 10 years out
$49,855
middle 50%: $30,600 – $67,394
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
Practical Nursing certificate graduates start at a $24k median salary. Five-year earnings increase to $44k.
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
10.6 yrs
≈ $13,190 total interest
Same major at other universities
Oakton College
$45,552 · 5 yrs out
South Texas College
$45,539 · 5 yrs out
Front Range Community College
$45,322 · 5 yrs out
Anoka Technical College
$43,948 · 5 yrs out
William Rainey Harper College
$43,936 · 5 yrs out
Joliet Junior College
$43,722 · 5 yrs out
North Central State College
$43,468 · 5 yrs out
Pickens Technical College
$43,140 · 5 yrs out
Prairie State College
$43,116 · 5 yrs out
Century College
$43,047 · 5 yrs out
Utah Tech University
$42,709 · 5 yrs out
Colorado Mountain College
$42,660 · 5 yrs out
Other majors at Illinois Eastern Community Colleges - Wabash Valley College
Mining and Petroleum Technologies/Technicians (Certificate)
$76,015 · 5 yrs out
Mechanic and Repair Technologies/Technicians (Associate)
$62,571 · 5 yrs out
Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians (Associate)
$62,571 · 5 yrs out
Engineering/Engineering-Related Technologies/Technicians (Certificate)
$59,452 · 5 yrs out
Engineering/Engineering-Related Technologies/Technicians (Associate)
$57,688 · 5 yrs out
Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians (Associate)
$56,877 · 5 yrs out
Precision Production (Certificate)
$56,877 · 5 yrs out
Precision Metal Working (Certificate)
$56,877 · 5 yrs out
Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians (Certificate)
$52,490 · 5 yrs out
Precision Production (Associate)
$51,789 · 5 yrs out
Precision Metal Working (Associate)
$51,789 · 5 yrs out
Agricultural Business and Management (Associate)
$50,725 · 5 yrs out
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