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

A nursing certificate that carries less than $10,000 in debt deserves serious consideration, even when exact outcomes for Highland remain unavailable. Based on typical Illinois programs, graduates face roughly $9,440 in borrowing—well below the $14,803 national median for practical nursing certificates. That modest debt load, combined with estimated first-year earnings around $43,000 drawn from state data, produces a manageable 0.22 debt-to-earnings ratio. Your child could realistically pay off this credential within a year or two of working.

The concern is opportunity cost. Top-performing practical nursing programs in Illinois—like Ambria College of Nursing and Verve College—report first-year earnings exceeding $63,000, nearly 50% higher than the state median Highland's estimates derive from. Even strong community college programs like Illinois Central place graduates around $55,000. Highland's location in Freeport, a smaller market removed from Chicago's higher-paying healthcare systems, may limit immediate earning potential compared to programs with urban clinical partnerships.

For a family seeking affordable healthcare credentials with low financial risk, this program's estimated debt picture is genuinely attractive. But investigate whether Highland's graduates secure jobs locally or need to relocate for better wages, and compare clinical training sites with programs that report stronger outcomes. The low debt matters less if your child needs to commute hours for work or must pursue an RN degree sooner than planned to reach livable wages.