Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants at Hannibal-LaGrange University

Hannibal-LaGrange's practical nursing certificate comes with a significant caveat: we're looking at fewer than 30 graduates, so these numbers may not reflect your child's likely experience. That said, the data suggests middling outcomes compared to Missouri alternatives. First-year earnings of $43,254 land slightly below both the state and national medians, placing graduates in the 40th percentile among Missouri programs—meaning 60% of similar programs in the state produce better earnings outcomes. The state's community college options show notably stronger results, with North Central Missouri College and Mineral Area College producing graduates earning $15,000-$16,000 more annually.

The debt picture is reasonable at $12,848, creating a manageable 0.30 debt-to-earnings ratio that allows graduates to pay off loans relatively quickly. However, that advantage may not offset the earnings gap when community colleges in Missouri often charge less while delivering better outcomes. The small sample size raises additional concerns about program stability and whether these results are representative.

For a practical nursing certificate, where maximizing first-year earnings matters given the relatively flat career trajectory, your family should carefully compare this against Missouri's community college options. Unless there are compelling reasons to choose Hannibal-LaGrange—location, specific support services, or scheduling needs—the data suggests exploring those higher-performing alternatives first.