Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants at Verve College

Verve College's practical nursing program punches well above its weight, placing graduates near the top of the earnings ladder both nationally (95th percentile) and within Illinois (80th percentile). At $63,593 in first-year earnings, graduates here earn nearly 50% more than the typical practical nursing program graduate in Illinois and outperform all but one program in the state. The debt load of under $15,000 is reasonable—right at the national median and resulting in a debt-to-earnings ratio of just 0.23, meaning graduates earn back their entire debt roughly four times over in their first year alone.

The lack of earnings growth over four years is the only notable concern, though this appears common in practical nursing where pay scales can plateau quickly. What matters more here is the strong starting position: these graduates begin their careers earning what many nursing programs produce after several years of experience growth. With 59% of students receiving Pell grants, Verve is clearly serving a population that needs strong ROI, and it's delivering exactly that.

For a parent considering this program, the value proposition is straightforward: modest debt combined with exceptional starting salaries creates one of the better practical nursing investments in Illinois. This is a program that gets students earning quickly without burdening them with debt.