Registered Nursing & Nursing Administration at Southwestern Illinois College

Belleville, IL · Public · Associate Degree · Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing

serving 5,280 students in Belleville, IL.

Program Analysis

At $65,290/yr, Registered Nursing & Nursing Administration graduates from Southwestern Illinois College land near the $69,474 national average — neither a standout nor a red flag.

With a 91.3x return on tuition over ten years, the financial case for this program is compelling by virtually any measure.

The 4% difference between AI scenarios reflects partial automation exposure. Some Registered Nursing & Nursing Administration career paths face changes, but the trade's physical demands provide a buffer.

The median debt load of $7,500 represents less than half a year of starting salary — among the lightest debt-to-income ratios in vocational education.

A #359 ranking among 947 Registered Nursing & Nursing Administration programs places Southwestern Illinois College in the middle-to-upper range. Solid, not exceptional.

The limited growth from $65,290 to $70,117 over five years suggests earnings in this trade plateau relatively early in one's career.

For students considering alternatives, 4 registered apprenticeship programs align with Registered Nursing & Nursing Administration careers — offering paid training instead of tuition costs.

84 /100
TradeSchoolOutlook Score
79
Low End
84
Score
85
High End
Earnings $65,290/yr (-6% vs median)
AI-Proof Moderate (61% shielded)
Job Market Very Large (292,500 openings/yr)

Earnings Overview

Projected 10-Year Earnings
$708K
1.8% annual growth
Earnings Multiple (In-State)
91.5x
10-year earnings ÷ tuition
Viable Career Paths
6 of 6
Occupations with strong AI resilience

Projected 10-Year Earnings

Based on actual graduate salary data and Bureau of Labor Statistics growth projections.

Program Tuition (In-State)
$7,740
Out-of-state: $12,420
Median Debt at Graduation
$7,500
1.4 months of Year 1 earnings
Reported Earnings (5 Year)
$70,117
7% growth from Year 1

Top Career Paths

Top career paths for Registered Nursing & Nursing Administration graduates by median salary.

Career Path Median Salary Growth AI-ProofAI
Nurse anesthetists $223,210 +8.6% 83%
Nurse practitioners $129,210 +40.1% 52%
Nurse midwives $128,790 +11.1% 61%
Nurse anesthetists
$223,210
+8.6% growth 83% AI-proof
Nurse practitioners
$129,210
+40.1% growth 52% AI-proof
Nurse midwives
$128,790
+11.1% growth 61% AI-proof

View all 6 career paths with full salary data →

About Registered Nursing & Nursing Administration Careers

Your career begins on the front lines as a Registered Nurse. You’ll work in fast-paced hospitals or clinics, monitoring patient vitals on EKG machines, administering medications, and updating electronic health records. After gaining experience, your path can branch. You might pursue advanced clinical practice to become a Nurse Practitioner, where you’ll diagnose conditions, prescribe treatments, and manage your own patient caseload. Alternatively, you could move into leadership as a Health Services Manager, where your day involves managing staff schedules, overseeing budgets, and ensuring your department runs smoothly.

Read the full Registered Nursing & Nursing Administration career guide →

Compare & Explore

Registered Nursing & Nursing Administration Overview

Registered Nursing & Nursing Administration at Other Schools

Other Majors at Southwestern Illinois College

How Does a Bachelor's Degree Compare?

Four-year programs take longer but may unlock different career trajectories. See the data.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the TradeSchoolOutlook Score for Registered Nursing & Nursing Administration at Southwestern Illinois College?
At 84/100, this is a high-performing trade program. The TradeSchoolOutlook Score combines earnings, AI resilience, and ROI — and this program delivers on all three.
How vulnerable is Registered Nursing & Nursing Administration to AI automation?
With 39% of typical job tasks exposed to AI, this is one of the higher-risk fields. Our pessimistic scenario projects $683,078 in decade earnings vs $708,379 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.
How affordable is Registered Nursing & Nursing Administration at Southwestern Illinois College?
Median debt of just $7,500 against $65,290/yr in starting salary means graduates can clear their loans in under 1 months. This is one of the more affordable paths in our dataset.
Can I learn Registered Nursing & Nursing Administration through an apprenticeship instead?
Registered Nursing & Nursing Administration connects to 4 apprenticeship pathways. These DOL-registered programs combine structured training with paid employment — a strong alternative for students who prefer hands-on learning over classroom instruction.
Is there demand for Registered Nursing & Nursing Administration workers?
The career paths mapped to Registered Nursing & Nursing Administration have roughly 292,500 combined annual openings nationally, making this a very large job market. Trade careers in this field benefit from consistent replacement demand as workers retire.
Data from College Scorecard, BLS, and AI resilience research. Methodology & sources →