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Practical Nursing at Kirksville Area Technical Center

Kirksville, MO · Public · Certificate · Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants

With a 50% acceptance rate, Kirksville Area Technical Center is moderately selective, a compact campus enrolling 21 students in Kirksville, MO.

Program Analysis

Starting salaries of $35,582/yr fall 19% below the $44,151 national median for Practical Nursing. The financial case depends heavily on whether tuition compensates.

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 $9,500 in median debt against $35,582 in first-year earnings, graduates can expect to clear their loan balance quickly — a hallmark of affordable trade programs.

Ranked #637 of 703 Practical Nursing programs, Kirksville Area Technical Center falls below the median. Stronger options exist, though cost and location may compensate.

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.

61 /100
TradeSchoolOutlook Score
59
Low End
61
Score
62
High End
Earnings $35,582/yr (-19% vs median)
AI-Proof AI-Proof (82% shielded)
Job Market Very Large (258,500 openings/yr)

Earnings Overview

Projected 10-Year Earnings
$372K
1.0% 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
$9,500
3.2 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

View all 703 schools offering Practical Nursing →

Practical Nursing at Other Schools

Harmony Health Care Institute ($85,953) Schoolcraft Community College District ($75,104) Saint Michael College of Allied Health ($74,782) Otero College ($74,405) Beal University ($72,467) Unitek College ($72,368) Shawsheen Valley School of Practical Nursing ($72,230) Southern Worcester County Regional Vocational School District ($67,498)

Considering a 4-Year Degree Instead?

Compare Practical Nursing degree programs on DegreeOutlook →

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

Frequently Asked Questions

What does a 61/100 TradeSchoolOutlook Score mean for Practical Nursing at Kirksville Area Technical Center?
A score of 61/100 reflects decent absolute metrics, but Kirksville Area Technical Center trails the majority of Practical Nursing programs on relative rankings. Context matters more than the raw number.
Will AI replace Practical Nursing jobs?
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.
What's the typical debt for Practical Nursing graduates from Kirksville Area Technical Center?
Median debt of just $9,500 against $35,582/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.
Can you still earn well with Practical Nursing from Kirksville Area Technical Center?
First-year earnings trail the national median, but starting salary isn't the full picture. Regional cost of living, career trajectory, and tuition cost all factor in. Check the five-year earnings data when available.
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.
How many job openings are there for Practical Nursing graduates?
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 →