Practical Nursing at Itawamba Community College

Fulton, MS · Public · Certificate · Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants

a compact campus enrolling 4,018 students in Fulton, MS.

Program Analysis

At $37,132 per year, Practical Nursing graduates from Itawamba Community College earn below the $44,151 national average. Lower costs or geographic factors may offset the earnings gap.

With a 121.2x return on tuition over ten years, the financial case for this program is compelling by virtually any measure.

The 7% 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 $9,201 represents less than half a year of starting salary — among the lightest debt-to-income ratios in vocational education.

A #182 ranking among 703 Practical Nursing programs places Itawamba Community College in the middle-to-upper range. Solid, not exceptional.

The limited growth from $37,132 to $40,965 over five years suggests earnings in this trade plateau relatively early in one's career.

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

76 /100
TradeSchoolOutlook Score
74
Low End
76
Score
77
High End
Earnings $37,132/yr (-16% vs median)
AI-Proof AI-Proof (82% shielded)
Job Market Very Large (258,500 openings/yr)

Earnings Overview

Projected 10-Year Earnings
$416K
2.5% annual growth
Earnings Multiple (In-State)
121.6x
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)
$3,420
Out-of-state: $5,820
Median Debt at Graduation
$9,201
3.0 months of Year 1 earnings
Reported Earnings (5 Year)
$40,965
10% 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

Other Majors at Itawamba Community 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

How does Itawamba Community College's Practical Nursing program score?
A score of 76/100 indicates strong financial outcomes. Itawamba Community 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?
This is one of the more automation-resistant trades. Practical Nursing work requires physical skill and on-site presence — qualities AI cannot provide. Our model rates it "AI-Proof" overall.
How affordable is Practical Nursing at Itawamba Community College?
Median debt of just $9,201 against $37,132/yr in starting salary means graduates can clear their loans in under 3 months. This is one of the more affordable paths in our dataset.
Is Itawamba Community College a good choice for Practical Nursing despite lower starting pay?
Starting salary is one data point. If Itawamba Community College's tuition is significantly below average, the ROI calculation can still work — lower earnings paired with lower costs can be a reasonable trade.
What apprenticeship pathways exist for Practical Nursing graduates?
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 →