Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing at Lincoln Land Community College

Lincoln Land Community College's nursing program produces graduates earning slightly less than typical Illinois nurses, landing at the 40th percentile statewide with first-year earnings of $66,279. More concerning is what happens next: by year four, median earnings drop to $63,500—a 4% decline while most nurses see their pay climb. The debt load of $20,416 is manageable relative to starting salary, but sits well above the state median of $14,500, meaning students here are borrowing more for below-average results.

The earnings gap matters when you compare options. Several other Illinois community colleges—Moraine Valley, College of Lake County, Joliet Junior College—consistently place their nursing graduates in positions paying $5,000-$9,000 more annually. That difference compounds over a career and could easily justify the extra commute or relocation for students in central Illinois with flexibility in where they train.

For families in the Springfield area without other practical options, this program still offers a viable path to nursing with debt that won't be crushing. But if your student can access one of the higher-performing programs in the Chicago suburbs or elsewhere in the state, the long-term payoff likely justifies that choice. The robust sample size here confirms this is the typical outcome, not an anomaly.