Nursing Assistant & Practical Nursing (CNA/LPN) programs: earnings, debt and schools by state
1,444 certificate and associate-degree programs at 1,309 U.S. schools teach nursing assistants and licensed practical/vocational nurses. Federal data shows what past graduates earned and borrowed. CIP 51.39 covers practical and vocational nursing and nurse-aide programs. Nurse aide (CNA) courses are typically short; LPN/LVN programs run longer and lead to a state licensing exam.
Best-paying CNA & LPN programs (one year after completion)
Ranked by the median earnings of completers working and not enrolled, among programs with at least 10 earners reported. High earnings can reflect local labor markets and who enrolls, so compare debt and completion too.
| School | City | Program | Credential | Completers/yr | 1-yr earnings | Median debt | Monthly payment* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shawsheen Valley School of Practical Nursing | Billerica, MA | Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants | Certificate | 32 | $79,295 | $7,878 | $90 |
| Unitek College | Hayward, CA | Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants | Certificate | 87 | $78,983 | $16,589 | $189 |
| Unitek College | South San Francisco, CA | Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants | Certificate | 130 | $78,983 | $16,589 | $189 |
| Harmony Health Care Institute | Merrimack, NH | Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants | Certificate | 72 | $78,455 | $12,685 | $144 |
| Monty Tech | Fitchburg, MA | Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants | Certificate | 30 | $78,299 | $10,500 | $119 |
| Beal University | Bangor, ME | Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants | Associate degree | – | $75,752 | $30,791 | $350 |
| Greater Lowell Technical School | Tyngsboro, MA | Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants | Certificate | 66 | $75,666 | $11,456 | $130 |
| Schoolcraft Community College District | Livonia, MI | Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants | Certificate | 37 | $75,162 | $21,839 | $248 |
| Universal Training Institute | Perth Amboy, NJ | Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants | Certificate | 46 | $75,144 | $15,749 | $179 |
| Unitek College | Fremont, CA | Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants | Associate degree | 340 | $72,818 | $26,008 | $296 |
| High Desert Medical College | Lancaster, CA | Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants | Associate degree | 16 | $72,536 | $29,320 | $333 |
| Greenfield Community College | Greenfield, MA | Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants | Certificate | 22 | $72,090 | $9,500 | $108 |
| Saint Michael College of Allied Health | Washington, DC | Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants | Certificate | 22 | $71,778 | $17,713 | $201 |
| Verve College | Oak Brook, IL | Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants | Certificate | 62 | $71,363 | $17,152 | $195 |
| Standard Healthcare Services-College of Nursing | Falls Church, VA | Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants | Certificate | 224 | $71,151 | $14,750 | $168 |
*Scorecard's estimated monthly payment on the median debt over 10 years. “Not reported” means the Department suppressed or did not publish the figure.
Compare schools near you
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CNA & LPN programs by state
| State | Programs | Schools | Median 1-yr earnings | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 23 | 23 | $55,462 | $19,500 |
| Alaska | 3 | 3 | not reported | – |
| Arizona | 27 | 25 | $42,220 | $13,438 |
| Arkansas | 29 | 27 | $43,368 | $11,690 |
| California | 174 | 125 | $59,029 | $18,711 |
| Colorado | 24 | 23 | $44,779 | $12,706 |
| Connecticut | 7 | 7 | $58,422 | $21,460 |
| Delaware | 3 | 3 | $57,738 | $11,278 |
| District of Columbia | 1 | 1 | $71,778 | $17,713 |
| Florida | 101 | 101 | $46,411 | $15,434 |
| Georgia | 24 | 24 | $46,228 | $11,653 |
| Hawaii | 5 | 5 | not reported | – |
| Idaho | 9 | 8 | $46,402 | $16,213 |
| Illinois | 54 | 53 | $44,927 | $9,625 |
| Indiana | 3 | 3 | $48,161 | $14,000 |
| Iowa | 16 | 16 | $45,478 | $14,734 |
| Kansas | 32 | 29 | $45,177 | $13,839 |
| Kentucky | 27 | 25 | $35,992 | $12,106 |
| Louisiana | 29 | 23 | $50,755 | $24,291 |
| Maine | 3 | 3 | $75,752 | $21,710 |
| Maryland | 16 | 15 | $56,188 | $22,190 |
| Massachusetts | 23 | 22 | $66,959 | $11,228 |
| Michigan | 47 | 42 | $52,554 | $19,100 |
| Minnesota | 29 | 25 | $44,898 | $16,154 |
| Mississippi | 19 | 16 | $40,846 | $11,377 |
| Missouri | 32 | 31 | $50,951 | $14,484 |
| Montana | 7 | 6 | $45,458 | $16,411 |
| Nebraska | 11 | 9 | $48,973 | $12,000 |
| Nevada | 6 | 5 | $65,486 | $16,752 |
| New Hampshire | 2 | 2 | $78,455 | $17,842 |
| New Jersey | 29 | 27 | $58,383 | $16,719 |
| New Mexico | 27 | 23 | $46,139 | $11,600 |
| New York | 59 | 53 | $51,765 | $14,250 |
| North Carolina | 47 | 47 | $50,377 | $15,125 |
| North Dakota | 12 | 9 | $64,154 | $17,500 |
| Ohio | 79 | 75 | $48,191 | $16,922 |
| Oklahoma | 36 | 33 | $47,459 | $11,222 |
| Oregon | 13 | 12 | $65,149 | $19,240 |
| Pennsylvania | 64 | 59 | $55,764 | $17,375 |
| Rhode Island | 4 | 3 | $55,444 | $21,672 |
| South Carolina | 17 | 16 | $44,277 | $18,250 |
| South Dakota | 6 | 5 | $47,904 | $15,698 |
| Tennessee | 34 | 33 | $47,438 | $12,534 |
| Texas | 87 | 78 | $49,216 | $15,250 |
| Utah | 17 | 16 | $34,762 | $11,500 |
| Vermont | 2 | 2 | $59,387 | $16,062 |
| Virginia | 35 | 35 | $48,920 | $16,737 |
| Washington | 34 | 29 | $67,949 | $12,704 |
| West Virginia | 29 | 28 | $46,506 | $17,543 |
| Wisconsin | 22 | 21 | $38,721 | $11,742 |
| Wyoming | 5 | 5 | not reported | $12,984 |
States with fewer than three programs have no detail page.
What to know before you enroll
Nurse aides are listed on a state registry after passing a state competency exam; federal rules set minimum training for aides in nursing homes and states can require more. LPNs must pass the NCLEX-PN and be licensed by the state board of nursing.
Questions to ask every school
- Is the program approved by my state's nursing board?
- What is the NCLEX-PN pass rate (LPN) or state-exam pass rate (CNA)?
- Where are clinical hours completed?
For national pay and job outlook, see the Bureau of Labor Statistics profile: Nursing Assistants and Orderlies.
Frequently asked questions
How much do CNA & LPN graduates earn?
Among 667 CNA & LPN programs that report earnings, the median first-year figure is $49,998 for certificate programs ($49,706) and $57,680 for associate programs. These are medians of past graduates and vary by state and employer.
How much debt do CNA & LPN students take on?
The median federal loan debt among borrowers across programs reporting it is $15,588. Many students in short programs borrow nothing; the figure only covers borrowers.
Is the data current?
It comes from the College Scorecard release dated October 15, 2026. The Department updates it annually and each figure describes graduates from earlier years.
Can I trust a school's own job-placement claims?
Treat them as a starting point. Ask for the placement rate definition, the number of graduates counted and the time window, then compare with the federal earnings above.
Related programs
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard Field of Study and Institution files (release dated 10/15/2026). Earnings are median annual earnings of completers working and not enrolled one year after finishing; debt is median federal loan debt of borrowers; both describe past cohorts and small programs are suppressed by the Department. See our methodology.