Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants undergraduate certificate or diploma programs in Illinois
Compare 34 reporting programs using the same federal field and undergraduate certificate or diploma credential definition. Earnings are observed four years after completion.
Highest reported earnings in Illinois
Each bar uses the same field, credential, state and earnings year.
1College of DuPageGlen Ellyn · $11,000 federal debt$75,4502Verve CollegeOak Brook · $14,933 federal debt$73,9033Ambria College of NursingHoffman Estates · $11,878 federal debt$72,1434William Rainey Harper CollegePalatine · $8,750 federal debt$69,1195Joliet Junior CollegeJoliet · $12,305 federal debt$67,6916City Colleges of Chicago-Malcolm X CollegeChicago · $9,500 federal debt$67,3637Kankakee Community CollegeKankakee · Debt not reported$65,1288Shawnee Community CollegeUllin · $11,162 federal debt$62,6099CALC Institute of TechnologyAlton · $9,750 federal debt$60,61210Lake Land CollegeMattoon · $7,750 federal debt$60,260
CAREER CONTEXT IN IL
What related occupations pay in Illinois
These are common occupational matches for this field, ranked by the strength of the federal education-to-occupation match.
29-2061Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses
- State median wage
- $75,000
- Middle 50% wage range
- $63,580–$79,560
- State employment
- 17,440
- Projected growth
- +3.0%
- Annual openings
- 51,800
31-1131Nursing Assistants
- State median wage
- $45,960
- Middle 50% wage range
- $39,420–$48,380
- State employment
- 68,640
- Projected growth
- +2.6%
- Annual openings
- 196,200
Career wages and employment are BLS estimates for everyone working in each occupation in Illinois; they are not earnings or placement rates for graduates of these programs. Wage ranges show the distribution across workers, not an entry-to-experienced career path. Growth and annual openings are national 2025–35 projections. BLS reports openings in thousands; DegreeVerdict displays the corresponding job count. These figures provide labor-market context and are not used in DegreeVerdict payoff or ROI calculations.
ALL REPORTING PROGRAMS
Compare every available outcome
Sorted by observed year-4 earnings. Open a row for its exact college-and-degree profile.
| # | College | City | Median year-4 earnings | Median federal debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | College of DuPage | Glen Ellyn | $75,450 | $11,000 |
| 2 | Verve College | Oak Brook | $73,903 | $14,933 |
| 3 | Ambria College of Nursing | Hoffman Estates | $72,143 | $11,878 |
| 4 | William Rainey Harper College | Palatine | $69,119 | $8,750 |
| 5 | Joliet Junior College | Joliet | $67,691 | $12,305 |
| 6 | City Colleges of Chicago-Malcolm X College | Chicago | $67,363 | $9,500 |
| 7 | Kankakee Community College | Kankakee | $65,128 | Not available |
| 8 | Shawnee Community College | Ullin | $62,609 | $11,162 |
| 9 | CALC Institute of Technology | Alton | $60,612 | $9,750 |
| 10 | Lake Land College | Mattoon | $60,260 | $7,750 |
| 11 | Capital Area Career Center | Springfield | $60,084 | $12,918 |
| 12 | Career Center of Southern Illinois | Red Bud | $59,405 | $16,978 |
| 13 | MDT College of Health Sciences | Chicago | $58,406 | $26,250 |
| 14 | Rasmussen University-Illinois | Rockford | $58,034 | $21,274 |
| 15 | John A Logan College | Carterville | $56,190 | $12,000 |
| 16 | Danville Area Community College | Danville | $54,298 | $9,126 |
| 17 | CAAN Academy of Nursing | Matteson | $50,490 | $22,398 |
| 18 | Stautzenberger College-Rockford Career College | Rockford | $49,709 | $31,527 |
| 19 | Triton College | River Grove | $48,439 | Not available |
| 20 | Rock Valley College | Rockford | $48,005 | $8,018 |
| 21 | Lincoln Land Community College | Springfield | $45,828 | $8,422 |
| 22 | Illinois Valley Community College | Oglesby | $45,300 | $7,058 |
| 23 | Morton College | Cicero | $44,987 | Not available |
| 24 | McHenry County College | Crystal Lake | $43,970 | $9,096 |
| 25 | Oakton College | Des Plaines | $42,453 | Not available |
| 26 | Prairie State College | Chicago Heights | $42,205 | $12,554 |
| 27 | Heartland Community College | Normal | $41,664 | $14,441 |
| 28 | Rend Lake College | Ina | $41,503 | Not available |
| 29 | Kaskaskia College | Centralia | $41,341 | Not available |
| 30 | Illinois Central College | East Peoria | $40,046 | $12,700 |
| 31 | John Wood Community College | Quincy | $39,196 | Not available |
| 32 | Lewis and Clark Community College | Godfrey | $35,567 | $9,480 |
| 33 | Kishwaukee College | Malta | $34,755 | Not available |
| 34 | Southwestern Illinois College | Belleville | $33,669 | $9,500 |
This is an observed-outcomes comparison, not a universal quality ranking. Missing and privacy-suppressed programs are excluded.
A quick read on Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants in Illinois
What do Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants undergraduate certificate or diploma graduates earn in Illinois?
Across 34 reporting programs, the median observed earnings figure is $49,709 four years after completion.
How much federal debt is reported for these programs?
The median is $11,162 among the 26 programs reporting federal debt.
Which Illinois colleges report the highest earnings for this degree?
The table compares the same federal field, credential and earnings year. College of DuPage has the highest reported figure among the programs shown.