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

A debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.22 suggests manageable borrowing for an associate nursing degree, though the earnings picture here requires closer examination. Similar nursing programs in Illinois typically produce first-year earnings around $66,360, positioning this solidly in the middle of the state's range. However, the four-year earnings figure of $60,366—actually lower than estimated first-year earnings—raises questions about either data suppression or atypical career trajectories for this program's specific graduates.

Comparable programs elsewhere in Illinois show stronger performance, with top community college nursing programs generating first-year earnings of $71,000-$75,000. That $5,000-$9,000 gap matters substantially over a career. The estimated debt of $14,437 sits below both the state and national medians for nursing programs, which is positive, but debt is only half the equation when peer institutions are producing better earnings outcomes with similar borrowing levels.

For parents evaluating Parkland's nursing program, the core challenge is uncertainty: you're working with state-wide estimates rather than this program's actual track record, and the available four-year data doesn't align with typical nursing career patterns. The fundamentals—low debt for a healthcare credential—are sound, but without clearer outcomes data, it's difficult to know whether Parkland matches the strong returns other Illinois community colleges deliver for nursing students.