Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing at Rend Lake College

Rend Lake College's nursing program shows a troubling trajectory that warrants careful scrutiny. While graduates start at a respectable $63,852—roughly $5,000 below the Illinois median—earnings actually drop 13% by year four rather than climb. This backward slide is particularly concerning given that the state's top community college nursing programs show strong, stable earnings above $71,000.

The bright spot here is debt: at $11,875, it's well below both the state median ($14,500) and national average ($20,751), creating an extremely manageable debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.19. Even with declining earnings, graduates should have little trouble paying off these loans. However, context matters—when Illinois nurses at comparable community colleges are earning $7,000-$12,000 more annually within their first year, that gap compounds quickly over a career. At the 40th percentile statewide, this program sits squarely in the bottom half of Illinois nursing options.

For an anxious parent, the question is straightforward: would you accept lower earnings for lower debt when the debt was already manageable? The earnings decline suggests potential issues with job placement quality or career progression support. If geographic constraints make Rend Lake the only viable option, the debt load won't create financial hardship. But if your student can access programs at Moraine Valley, College of Lake County, or similar schools, those appear to offer meaningfully better career starts without prohibitive debt increases.