Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants at Colby Community College

Kansas LPN programs show considerable variation in outcomes, and Colby Community College falls right at the state median with estimated first-year earnings of $43,321. Several community colleges in the state—Donnelly, Kansas City Kansas, and Hutchinson—report stronger graduate earnings in the $45,000-$49,000 range, suggesting that location and clinical partnerships matter significantly in this field. While Colby's figures are derived from comparable Kansas programs rather than direct graduate outcomes, they align closely with what similar rural nursing programs typically produce.

The $17,504 debt load is higher than both the state median ($14,544) and national median ($14,803) for this credential, though the 0.40 debt-to-earnings ratio remains manageable for healthcare training. LPNs generally see steady employment demand, particularly in rural areas like northwest Kansas where healthcare workers are scarce. The higher-than-average debt becomes more concerning when you consider that top-performing Kansas programs are producing similar graduates with $3,000 less in loans.

For families in the Colby area, this program offers local access to nursing credentials without relocating, which has real value in rural communities. However, if your student has flexibility in location, comparing costs directly with programs at Hutchinson or Kansas City Kansas Community College would be worthwhile—the debt difference could represent several months of loan payments on what will likely be similar starting salaries.