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.

66 /100
TradeSchoolOutlook Score
63
Low End
66
Score
66
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

About Practical Nursing Careers

Your career begins on the front lines of patient care as a nursing assistant. In a hospital or long-term care facility, your active days will be spent helping patients with essential tasks like bathing, eating, and moving safely. You’ll be a vital part of the medical team, taking blood pressure and temperature and serving as the eyes and ears for the supervising nurses.

Read the full Practical Nursing career guide →

Compare & Explore

Practical Nursing Overview

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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 safe is Practical Nursing from automation?
This is one of the more automation-resistant trades. Practical Nursing work requires physical skill and on-site presence — qualities AI cannot provide. Our model rates it "AI-Proof" overall.
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.
Are there apprenticeship options for Practical Nursing?
There are 2 registered apprenticeships connected to Practical Nursing occupations. The earn-while-you-learn model means no tuition debt and immediate income, though the training period is typically longer.
Is there demand for Practical Nursing workers?
With approximately 258,500 annual openings across mapped careers, Practical Nursing offers a very large employment pool. Physical trades tend to have steady demand driven by infrastructure and construction cycles.
Data from College Scorecard, BLS, and AI resilience research. Methodology & sources →