WhatGradsMake
Certificate (1-2 years)-18% vs national median486 grads tracked

Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants at Western Dakota Technical College

Ranked 234th of 256 certificate (1-2 years) programs in Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants by 5-year earnings.

Median · 1 year out
$40,173
middle 50%: $32,430 – $46,935
Median · 5 years out
$47,139
middle 50%: $38,509 – $54,836
Median · 10 years out
$53,186
middle 50%: $44,343 – $67,756

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

Graduates of Western Dakota Technical College's certificate (1-2 years) program in Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants earn a median $40,173 one year after graduating, rising to $53,186 by year ten. Five years out, earnings run 18% below the national median of $57,142 for this field, ranking 234th of 256 reporting programs.

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
8.6 yrs
≈ $9,710 total interest

Same major at other universities

Texarkana College
$47,715 · 5 yrs out
Black Hawk College
$47,692 · 5 yrs out
Patrick & Henry Community College
$47,631 · 5 yrs out
New River Community College
$47,574 · 5 yrs out
Louisiana Delta Community College
$47,574 · 5 yrs out
Minnesota State Community and Technical College
$47,346 · 5 yrs out
Capital Area Technical College
$46,634 · 5 yrs out
Dalton State College
$46,597 · 5 yrs out
Central Louisiana Technical Community College
$46,374 · 5 yrs out
Southside Virginia Community College
$45,983 · 5 yrs out
Moberly Area Community College
$45,628 · 5 yrs out
Carl Sandburg College
$45,471 · 5 yrs out

Other majors at Western Dakota Technical College

Precision Metal Working (Certificate)
$56,363 · 5 yrs out
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services (Associate)
$54,051 · 5 yrs out
Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies/Technicians (Associate)
$53,202 · 5 yrs out
Precision Production (Certificate)
$53,040 · 5 yrs out
Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications (Associate)
$52,989 · 5 yrs out
Precision Production (Associate)
$52,793 · 5 yrs out
Precision Metal Working (Associate)
$52,793 · 5 yrs out
Engineering/Engineering-Related Technologies/Technicians (Associate)
$51,947 · 5 yrs out
Fire Protection (Associate)
$51,223 · 5 yrs out
Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting and Related Protective Services (Associate)
$50,940 · 5 yrs out
Criminal Justice and Corrections (Associate)
$50,791 · 5 yrs out
Mechanic and Repair Technologies/Technicians (Certificate)
$50,197 · 5 yrs out

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