Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing at Kishwaukee College

Based on comparable nursing programs across Illinois, Kishwaukee College appears to hit the sweet spot: estimated debt of $14,437 for a degree that similar programs show can support first-year earnings around $66,360. That debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.22 means graduates would owe roughly two and a half months of income—manageable for a healthcare credential. The earnings track closely with Illinois' median for associate nursing programs and nearly match the national benchmark of $68,409, suggesting Kishwaukee's graduates likely enter the same job market as peers from reported programs.

The uncertainty here matters, though. Illinois has several community colleges with reported outcomes showing first-year earnings above $71,000—programs like Moraine Valley and College of Lake County where we know graduates are clearing that threshold. Without Kishwaukee's actual data, you can't confirm whether their nursing grads match those stronger performers or cluster closer to the state average. The debt estimate comes from similar Illinois community colleges and appears conservative compared to the $20,751 national median, but it's still an estimate.

For anxious parents, here's what this means practically: nursing associate degrees generally deliver reliable employment and decent starting pay. The estimated numbers suggest reasonable value, but you're making this decision with less certainty than you'd have at schools with published outcomes. If your child is set on nursing and local to Malta, the program looks viable—just recognize you're trusting peer-program patterns rather than verified results from this specific college.