Practical Nursing at Illinois Central College

East Peoria, IL · Public · Certificate · Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants

a smaller institution with 4,909 students in East Peoria, IL.

Program Analysis

At $55,604 per year, Practical Nursing graduates from Illinois Central College significantly outpace the $44,151 national average for this trade, reflecting strong employer demand for this program's graduates.

With a 125.1x return on tuition over ten years, the financial case for this program is compelling by virtually any measure.

The 0% spread between best and worst-case AI scenarios signals strong resilience. Most careers in Practical Nursing involve physical, hands-on work that current AI cannot replicate.

The median debt load of $7,500 represents less than half a year of starting salary — among the lightest debt-to-income ratios in vocational education.

At #43 of 703 programs, this Practical Nursing program outperforms the majority of its peers. The top 10% ranking reflects consistently above-average outcomes.

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

83 /100
TradeSchoolOutlook Score
82
Low End
83
Score
84
High End
Earnings $55,604/yr (26% vs median)
AI-Proof AI-Proof (82% shielded)
Job Market Very Large (258,500 openings/yr)

Earnings Overview

Projected 10-Year Earnings
$582K
1.0% annual growth
Earnings Multiple (In-State)
125.1x
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)
$4,650
Out-of-state: $11,700
Median Debt at Graduation
$7,500
1.6 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 Illinois Central College

How Does a Bachelor's Degree Compare?

Four-year programs take longer but may unlock different career trajectories. See the data.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does a 83/100 TradeSchoolOutlook Score mean for Practical Nursing at Illinois Central College?
A score of 83/100 indicates strong financial outcomes. Illinois Central College's Practical Nursing graduates fare well on earnings, job market size, and return on investment.
How AI-proof is a career in Practical Nursing?
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 Illinois Central College?
Median debt of just $7,500 against $55,604/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.
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.
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 →