Certificate (under 1 year)+19% vs national median1,080 grads tracked
Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants at Oakton College
Ranked 49th of 147 certificate (under 1 year) programs in Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants by 5-year earnings.
Median · 1 year out
$28,703
middle 50%: $21,391 – $37,402
Median · 5 years out
$45,552
middle 50%: $30,395 – $71,330
Median · 10 years out
$68,891
middle 50%: $44,880 – $90,617
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 holders earn $29k in their first year. Median earnings reach $69k after ten years.
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
9 yrs
≈ $11,342 total interest
Same major at other universities
Richland Community College
$47,460 · 5 yrs out
Arapahoe Community College
$47,308 · 5 yrs out
Red Rocks Community College
$46,810 · 5 yrs out
Clarendon College
$46,417 · 5 yrs out
Normandale Community College
$46,207 · 5 yrs out
Parkland College
$45,708 · 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
Illinois Eastern Community Colleges - Wabash Valley College
$43,691 · 5 yrs out
Other majors at Oakton College
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions (Certificate)
$96,354 · 5 yrs out
Fire Protection (Certificate)
$95,189 · 5 yrs out
Health Professions and Related Programs (Certificate)
$94,549 · 5 yrs out
Computer Software and Media Applications (Certificate)
$92,948 · 5 yrs out
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Associate)
$83,533 · 5 yrs out
Fire Protection (Associate)
$82,614 · 5 yrs out
Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR) (Certificate)
$80,729 · 5 yrs out
Engineering (Associate)
$79,787 · 5 yrs out
Engineering, General (Associate)
$79,787 · 5 yrs out
Electromechanical Technologies/Technicians (Certificate)
$77,901 · 5 yrs out
Health Professions and Related Programs (Associate)
$77,343 · 5 yrs out
Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications (Certificate)
$77,146 · 5 yrs out
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