Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants at City Colleges of Chicago-Harry S Truman College

Based on comparable nursing programs across Illinois, Truman College's practical nursing certificate appears to cost roughly $9,440 while leading to first-year earnings around $43,000—a debt load that's both manageable and notably lower than the national median of $14,803 for similar programs. That debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.22 suggests graduates could reasonably pay off their loans within a few months of full-time work, which is about as favorable as healthcare training gets at this level.

The catch is in the earnings gap. While peer programs in Illinois cluster around this same $43,000 mark, the state's top-performing practical nursing programs produce graduates earning $55,000 to $65,000 in their first year—a difference of $12,000 to $22,000 annually that compounds over a career. Since these figures are drawn from state medians rather than Truman's specific outcomes, it's worth investigating what distinguishes higher-earning programs: specialty training opportunities, clinical placement networks, or simply geographic differences in nursing markets within Illinois.

For a parent evaluating this program, the low estimated debt makes this a lower-risk entry into healthcare than most alternatives. But before committing, dig into Truman's actual job placement rates and where graduates find work—the difference between a first-year salary of $43,000 versus $55,000 could justify exploring other options or at least understanding why some Illinois programs substantially outperform others.