by our College Data Analytics Team
[Practical Nursing Assistants](/majors/health-care-professions/practical-nursing-assistants/) is a field where your choice of school can shape what you earn after graduation. A top-earning program sends graduates into careers with strong starting pay.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 100 schools on the early-career earnings of their practical nursing assistants graduates.
What’s on this page:
Where you study practical nursing assistants affects what graduates go on to earn. That is why we built our Highest Paid Practical Nursing Assistants Graduates ranking. We rank each school on the early-career earnings of its practical nursing assistants graduates to surface the highest-paying programs.
Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we offer several rankings, including this Highest Paid Practical Nursing Assistants Graduates list, to help you choose. More interested in schools in a specific area of the country? Filter this list by region or state.
Want to compare schools head to head? Try our College Combat tool to weigh the factors that matter most to you.
Learn more about our methodology
If you want to know which schools send practical nursing assistants graduates into the highest-paying careers, see the list below.
Our analysis ranked Laramie County Community College the top school for practical nursing assistants graduate earnings in the United States. Located in the rural area of Cheyenne, Laramie County Community College is a public institution. Early-career practical nursing assistants graduates from Laramie County Community College make a median of around $86,634 per year.
Harmony Health Care Institute produces some of the highest-paid graduates in practical nursing assistants, landing the #2 spot this year. Set in the suburb of Merrimack, Harmony Health Care Institute is a private for-profit institution. Early-career practical nursing assistants graduates from Harmony Health Care Institute make a median of around $85,953 per year.
West Shore Community College produces some of the highest-paid graduates in practical nursing assistants, landing the #3 spot this year. Set in the rural area of Scottville, West Shore Community College is a public institution. After graduating, practical nursing assistants degree recipients from West Shore Community College typically earn about $76,254 annually.
Strong graduate earnings at Schoolcraft College earned it the #4 place for practical nursing assistants. Located in the city of Livonia, Schoolcraft College is a public institution. Practical Nursing Assistants graduates of Schoolcraft College earn a median of about $75,104 a year early in their careers.
A rank of #5 makes Quincy College one of the highest-paying schools for practical nursing assistants. Quincy College is a public school located in the suburb of Quincy. Students who complete the practical nursing assistants program here go on to a median salary of roughly $74,848.
Saint Michael College Of Allied Health earned the #6 position for practical nursing assistants graduate earnings this year. Located in the city of Washington, Saint Michael College Of Allied Health is a private for-profit institution. Early-career practical nursing assistants graduates from Saint Michael College Of Allied Health make a median of around $74,782 per year.
Otero Junior College placed #7 among the highest-paying schools for practical nursing assistants. Located in the town of La Junta, Otero Junior College is a public institution. After graduating, practical nursing assistants degree recipients from Otero Junior College typically earn about $74,405 annually.
Aims Community College earned the #8 position for practical nursing assistants graduate earnings this year. Set in the city of Greeley, Aims Community College is a public institution. Early-career practical nursing assistants graduates from Aims Community College make a median of around $74,188 per year.
Jefferson College placed #9 among the highest-paying schools for practical nursing assistants. Located in the rural area of Hillsboro, Jefferson College is a public institution. After graduating, practical nursing assistants degree recipients from Jefferson College typically earn about $73,436 annually.
Sheridan College earned the #10 position for practical nursing assistants graduate earnings this year. Sheridan College is a public school located in the town of Sheridan. Practical Nursing Assistants graduates of Sheridan College earn a median of about $71,755 a year early in their careers.
Shawsheen Valley School Of Practical Nursing landed the #11 spot for practical nursing assistants salaries this year. Set in the suburb of Billerica, Shawsheen Valley School Of Practical Nursing is a public institution. After graduating, practical nursing assistants degree recipients from Shawsheen Valley School Of Practical Nursing typically earn about $70,934 annually.
Alpena Community College landed the #12 spot for practical nursing assistants salaries this year. Located in the town of Alpena, Alpena Community College is a public institution. After graduating, practical nursing assistants degree recipients from Alpena Community College typically earn about $70,774 annually.
Casper College earned the #13 position for practical nursing assistants graduate earnings this year. Set in the city of Casper, Casper College is a public institution. Students who complete the practical nursing assistants program here go on to a median salary of roughly $69,669.
Unitek College earned the #14 position for practical nursing assistants graduate earnings this year. Set in the city of Fremont, Unitek College is a private for-profit institution. Students who complete the practical nursing assistants program here go on to a median salary of roughly $87,399.
Unitek College Hayward placed #15 among the highest-paying schools for practical nursing assistants. Unitek College Hayward is a private for-profit school located in the suburb of Hayward. Students who complete the practical nursing assistants program here go on to a median salary of roughly $73,881.
Unitek College South San Francisco ranked #16 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying practical nursing assistants schools. Located in the city of South San Francisco, Unitek College South San Francisco is a private for-profit institution. Early-career practical nursing assistants graduates from Unitek College South San Francisco make a median of around $73,881 per year.
Kellogg Community College ranked #17 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying practical nursing assistants schools. Set in the city of Battle Creek, Kellogg Community College is a public institution. Practical Nursing Assistants graduates of Kellogg Community College earn a median of about $69,248 a year early in their careers.
Greater Lowell Technical School ranked #18 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying practical nursing assistants schools. Greater Lowell Technical School is a public school located in the suburb of Tyngsboro. Practical Nursing Assistants graduates of Greater Lowell Technical School earn a median of about $70,326 a year early in their careers.
Elgin Community College ranked #19 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying practical nursing assistants schools. Elgin Community College is a public school located in the city of Elgin. Students who complete the practical nursing assistants program here go on to a median salary of roughly $68,335.
Minnesota West Community And Technical College earned the #20 position for practical nursing assistants graduate earnings this year. Minnesota West Community And Technical College is a public school located in the rural area of Granite Falls. Early-career practical nursing assistants graduates from Minnesota West Community And Technical College make a median of around $67,864 per year.
El Paso Community College earned the #21 position for practical nursing assistants graduate earnings this year. Located in the city of El Paso, El Paso Community College is a public institution. Early-career practical nursing assistants graduates from El Paso Community College make a median of around $67,664 per year.
Pccti It And Healthcare came in at #22 for practical nursing assistants graduate earnings this year. Located in the suburb of Oak Brook, Pccti It And Healthcare is a private for-profit institution. After graduating, practical nursing assistants degree recipients from Pccti It And Healthcare typically earn about $73,721 annually.
Southern Worcester County Regional Voc School District earned the #23 position for practical nursing assistants graduate earnings this year. Located in the rural area of Charlton, Southern Worcester County Regional Voc School District is a public institution. Students who complete the practical nursing assistants program here go on to a median salary of roughly $67,498.
Ambria College Of Nursing landed the #24 spot for practical nursing assistants salaries this year. Located in the suburb of Hoffman Estates, Ambria College Of Nursing is a private for-profit institution. Students who complete the practical nursing assistants program here go on to a median salary of roughly $71,357.
Miami Dade College earned the #25 position for practical nursing assistants graduate earnings this year. Located in the city of Miami, Miami Dade College is a public institution. Students who complete the practical nursing assistants program here go on to a median salary of roughly $66,950.
These schools also send practical nursing assistants graduates into strong-paying careers this year:
These institutions also earned high marks for practical nursing assistants graduate pay:
This list is compiled by College Factual, 2026 edition. Schools are ranked on the median early-career earnings of their practical nursing assistants graduates, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard field-of-study earnings and IPEDS).
Ranking method: College Major Earnings · 100 schools evaluated.
*Salary figures reflect median early-career earnings (about 5 years after graduation) and may vary by how long a person takes to complete their degree.
More about our data sources and methodologies.