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Practical Nursing at Mercer County Career Center

Mercer, PA · Public · Certificate · Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants

in Mercer, PA.

Program Analysis

First-year earnings of $44,460 track close to the $44,151 national median for Practical Nursing programs. This is a middle-of-the-road outcome on salary alone.

AI disruption models show minimal impact on this program's career paths. The gap between optimistic and pessimistic scenarios is just 0% — this trade's hands-on core resists automation.

At $9,855 in median debt against $44,460 in first-year earnings, graduates can expect to clear their loan balance quickly — a hallmark of affordable trade programs.

Ranked #484 of 703 Practical Nursing programs, Mercer County Career Center falls below the median. Stronger options exist, though cost and location may compensate.

There are 2 registered apprenticeship pathways mapped to Practical Nursing, including Nurse, Licensed Practical (median $62,340/yr). Apprenticeships offer an alternative route that combines paid work with structured training.

TradeSchoolOutlook Score

Low End

Score

High End

Earnings $44,460/yr (1% vs median)

AI-Proof AI-Proof (82% shielded)

Job Market Very Large (258,500 openings/yr)

Earnings Overview

Year 1 Earnings

$44K

Reported median after graduation

Viable Career Paths

2 of 2

Occupations with strong AI resilience

Median Debt at Graduation

$9,855

2.7 months of Year 1 earnings

Reported Earnings (5 Year)

$40,740

Small cohort — data may not reflect typical outcomes

Top Career Paths

Top career paths for Practical Nursing graduates by median salary.

Career Path	Median Salary	Growth	AI-ProofAI
Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses	$62,340	+2.6%	75%
Nursing assistants	$39,530	+2.3%	90%

Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses

$62,340

+2.6% growth 75% AI-proof

Nursing assistants

$39,530

+2.3% growth 90% AI-proof

Practical Nursing Career Guide

Practical Nursing opens doors to multiple career tracks. Our pillar guide covers every mapped occupation with salary data and AI resilience ratings.

Read the full Practical Nursing career guide →

Compare & Explore

Practical Nursing Overview

Practical Nursing at Other Schools

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Compare how bachelor's degree graduates fare on earnings, ROI, and AI resilience.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does a 66/100 TradeSchoolOutlook Score mean for Practical Nursing at Mercer County Career Center?

At 66/100, the score looks reasonable — but Practical Nursing is a high-scoring trade overall. Compared to peers, this program's earnings and ROI fall below the median.

How AI-proof is a career in Practical Nursing?

Highly resilient. Practical Nursing careers are fundamentally hands-on — they require physical presence and manual skill that AI cannot replicate. Mercer County Career Center graduates retain 2 of 2 viable career paths even under conservative assumptions.

What's the typical debt for Practical Nursing graduates from Mercer County Career Center?

Median debt of just $9,855 against $44,460/yr in starting salary means graduates can clear their loans in under 3 months. This is one of the more affordable paths in our dataset.

Should I consider an apprenticeship over a Practical Nursing program at Mercer County Career Center?

Yes — 2 registered apprenticeship programs are mapped to Practical Nursing career paths, including Nurse, Licensed Practical. Apprenticeships offer paid on-the-job training as an alternative or complement to a program at Mercer County Career Center.

What's the job market like for Practical Nursing from Mercer County Career Center?

The career paths mapped to Practical Nursing have roughly 258,500 combined annual openings nationally, making this a very large job market. Demand is driven by an aging population and expanding healthcare access.

Data from College Scorecard, BLS, and AI resilience research. Methodology & sources →