Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants at Chippewa Valley Technical College

The small class size here makes it hard to draw firm conclusions, but the trajectory tells an intriguing story. Chippewa Valley Technical College graduates start well below the national average at $37,386—about $7,000 less than typical nursing assistant programs nationwide. However, by year four, earnings jump to nearly $65,000, a 74% increase that suggests graduates are successfully transitioning into better-paying nursing roles or gaining valuable experience quickly.

Within Wisconsin, this program sits squarely in the middle at the 60th percentile, slightly outperforming the state median of $36,984 but trailing specialized programs like those at Herzing locations by roughly $10,000 at the four-year mark. The $12,000 debt load matches the state median and stays manageable—about four months of first-year salary. That debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.32 is reasonable for a healthcare credential, especially given the strong earnings growth.

The caveat matters: with fewer than 30 graduates tracked, one or two students landing particularly good positions could skew these numbers significantly. If your child attends, they shouldn't bank on that $65,000 fourth-year figure without understanding that the sample is tiny. Still, the fundamentals look solid—low debt, strong growth potential, and outcomes that hold up against other Wisconsin programs. For a quick pathway into healthcare with minimal financial risk, this certificate does its job.