Certificate (1-2 years)+1% vs national median440 grads tracked
Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants at Rend Lake College
Ranked 124th of 256 certificate (1-2 years) programs in Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants by 5-year earnings.
Median · 1 year out
$32,690
middle 50%: $24,874 – $41,928
Median · 5 years out
$57,938
middle 50%: $43,626 – $69,913
Median · 10 years out
$65,669
middle 50%: $46,834 – $86,421
Salary trajectory
Median earnings vs the national median for Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants (certificate (1-2 years)) graduates.
This program (median)National median, same major & degreeMiddle 50% of graduates
Practical Nursing certificate students earn a median $32,690 in their first year. Median salaries reach $65,669 by year ten.
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
7.8 yrs
≈ $9,342 total interest
Same major at other universities
Texas State Technical College
$58,734 · 5 yrs out
Southeastern Community College
$58,488 · 5 yrs out
Lamar Community College
$58,249 · 5 yrs out
Northeastern Junior College
$58,249 · 5 yrs out
Highland Community College
$58,100 · 5 yrs out
Iowa Lakes Community College
$57,988 · 5 yrs out
Kankakee Community College
$57,867 · 5 yrs out
York Technical College
$57,836 · 5 yrs out
Southwestern Community College
$57,604 · 5 yrs out
Northwest College
$57,471 · 5 yrs out
Rochester Community and Technical College
$57,334 · 5 yrs out
Iowa Valley Community College District
$57,142 · 5 yrs out
Other majors at Rend Lake College
Electrical/Electronics Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians (Certificate)
$86,981 · 5 yrs out
Heavy/Industrial Equipment Maintenance Technologies/Technicians (Certificate)
$86,768 · 5 yrs out
Heavy/Industrial Equipment Maintenance Technologies/Technicians (Associate)
$78,993 · 5 yrs out
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Associate)
$72,395 · 5 yrs out
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Certificate)
$65,897 · 5 yrs out
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions (Certificate)
$64,930 · 5 yrs out
Precision Production (Associate)
$62,446 · 5 yrs out
Precision Metal Working (Associate)
$62,446 · 5 yrs out
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions (Certificate)
$60,696 · 5 yrs out
Mechanic and Repair Technologies/Technicians (Associate)
$60,533 · 5 yrs out
Health Professions and Related Programs (Certificate)
$59,934 · 5 yrs out
Agricultural Mechanization (Associate)
$58,934 · 5 yrs out
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