Practical Nursing at CES College

Burbank, CA · Private nonprofit · Certificate · Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants

A 60% admission rate makes CES College accessible to a wide range of qualified students, a compact campus enrolling 106 students in Burbank, CA.

Program Analysis

CES College's Practical Nursing program produces graduates earning $42,821/yr — within striking distance of the $44,151 national average for this trade.

The 28% difference between AI scenarios reflects partial automation exposure. Some Practical Nursing career paths face changes, but the trade's physical demands provide a buffer.

Loan repayment is a non-issue here — $16,810 in median debt clears fast against $42,821 in annual earnings.

A #543 ranking among 703 Practical Nursing programs places CES College in the lower half. Price, proximity, and personal fit become the stronger arguments.

A 36% earnings increase from $42,821 to $58,218 over five years is solid — not a moonshot, but evidence of normal career advancement.

For students considering alternatives, 2 registered apprenticeship programs align with Practical Nursing careers — offering paid training instead of tuition costs.

65 /100
TradeSchoolOutlook Score
63
Low End
65
Score
66
High End
Earnings $42,821/yr (-3% vs median)
AI-Proof AI-Proof (82% shielded)
Job Market Very Large (258,500 openings/yr)

Earnings Overview

Projected 10-Year Earnings
$620K
8.0% annual growth
Viable Career Paths
2 of 2
Occupations with strong AI resilience

Projected 10-Year Earnings

Based on actual graduate salary data and Bureau of Labor Statistics growth projections.

Median Debt at Graduation
$16,810
4.7 months of Year 1 earnings
Reported Earnings (5 Year)
$58,218
36% growth from Year 1

Top Career Paths

Top career paths for Practical Nursing graduates by median salary.

Career Path Median Salary Growth AI-ProofAI
Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses $62,340 +2.6% 75%
Nursing assistants $39,530 +2.3% 90%
Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses
$62,340
+2.6% growth 75% AI-proof
Nursing assistants
$39,530
+2.3% growth 90% AI-proof

About Practical Nursing Careers

Your career begins on the front lines of patient care as a nursing assistant. In a hospital or long-term care facility, your active days will be spent helping patients with essential tasks like bathing, eating, and moving safely. You’ll be a vital part of the medical team, taking blood pressure and temperature and serving as the eyes and ears for the supervising nurses.

Read the full Practical Nursing career guide →

Compare & Explore

Practical Nursing Overview

Practical Nursing at Other Schools

Trade Certificate vs. Bachelor's Degree

Weigh shorter time-to-career against higher earning ceilings. The numbers tell the story.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does CES College's Practical Nursing program score?
A score of 65/100 reflects decent absolute metrics, but CES College trails the majority of Practical Nursing programs on relative rankings. Context matters more than the raw number.
Will AI replace Practical Nursing jobs?
Practical Nursing rates as "AI-Proof" for AI resilience. With only 18% of tasks exposed to automation, the trade's physical demands provide a natural shield against AI displacement.
Can I learn Practical Nursing through an apprenticeship instead?
Yes — 2 registered apprenticeship programs are mapped to Practical Nursing career paths, including Nurse, Licensed Practical. Apprenticeships offer paid on-the-job training as an alternative or complement to certificate programs.
How many job openings are there for Practical Nursing graduates?
The career paths mapped to Practical Nursing have roughly 258,500 combined annual openings nationally, making this a very large job market. Trade careers in this field benefit from consistent replacement demand as workers retire.
Data from College Scorecard, BLS, and AI resilience research. Methodology & sources →