Practical Nursing at Hagerstown Community College

Hagerstown, MD · Public · Certificate · Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants

a smaller institution with 2,783 students in Hagerstown, MD.

Program Analysis

First-year earnings of $45,584 track close to the $44,151 national median for Practical Nursing programs. This is a middle-of-the-road outcome on salary alone.

Every dollar of tuition returns an estimated 110.4x in decade earnings — an exceptional ratio that places this among the highest-ROI Practical Nursing programs nationally.

AI disruption models show minimal impact on this program's career paths. The gap between optimistic and pessimistic scenarios is just 0% — this trade's hands-on core resists automation.

At $9,250 in median debt against $45,584 in first-year earnings, graduates can expect to clear their loan balance quickly — a hallmark of affordable trade programs.

At #107 of 703 nationally, this is a top-5% Practical Nursing program. Financial outcomes consistently outperform the vast majority of peers.

There are 2 registered apprenticeship pathways mapped to Practical Nursing, including Nurse, Licensed Practical (median $62,340/yr). Apprenticeships offer an alternative route that combines paid work with structured training.

80 /100
TradeSchoolOutlook Score
78
Low End
80
Score
80
High End
Earnings $45,584/yr (3% vs median)
AI-Proof AI-Proof (82% shielded)
Job Market Very Large (258,500 openings/yr)

Earnings Overview

Projected 10-Year Earnings
$477K
1.0% annual growth
Earnings Multiple (In-State)
110.4x
10-year earnings ÷ tuition
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.

Program Tuition (In-State)
$4,320
Out-of-state: $8,190
Median Debt at Graduation
$9,250
2.4 months of Year 1 earnings

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

Other Majors at Hagerstown Community College

Considering a 4-Year Degree Instead?

Compare how bachelor's degree graduates fare on earnings, ROI, and AI resilience.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does Hagerstown Community College's Practical Nursing program score?
At 80/100, this is a high-performing trade program. The TradeSchoolOutlook Score combines earnings, AI resilience, and ROI — and this program delivers on all three.
How safe is Practical Nursing from automation?
Highly resilient. Practical Nursing careers are fundamentally hands-on — they require physical presence and manual skill that AI cannot replicate. Graduates retain 2 of 2 viable career paths even under conservative assumptions.
How affordable is Practical Nursing at Hagerstown Community College?
Median debt of just $9,250 against $45,584/yr in starting salary means graduates can clear their loans in under 2 months. This is one of the more affordable paths in our dataset.
What makes Hagerstown Community College's Practical Nursing program stand out?
Ranked #107 of 703 programs nationally, Hagerstown Community College lands in the top 25%. The ranking reflects a combination of graduate earnings, return on investment, and job market alignment.
Are there apprenticeship options for Practical Nursing?
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.
Is there demand for Practical Nursing workers?
With approximately 258,500 annual openings across mapped careers, Practical Nursing offers a very large employment pool. Physical trades tend to have steady demand driven by infrastructure and construction cycles.
Data from College Scorecard, BLS, and AI resilience research. Methodology & sources →