Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College

Abraham Baldwin's nursing program sits right at Georgia's median for starting salaries at $76,557—meaning you'll find programs with better outcomes, but plenty with worse. Among 37 nursing programs in the state, this ranks in the 60th percentile, putting it just above the middle of the pack. The debt load of $26,298 is slightly better than both state and national medians, translating to a manageable debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.34. That means your child would owe about four months of their first year's salary—well within reasonable territory for a healthcare degree.

The caveat here matters: this data reflects fewer than 30 graduates, which makes it less reliable than programs with larger cohorts. Small variations in individual outcomes can swing these averages significantly. That said, Georgia Highlands and several other state schools are placing graduates in the low-$80,000s right out of the gate, showing there's room for stronger first-year earnings in the state. The question becomes whether Abraham Baldwin's more accessible admission profile (77% acceptance rate, serving a substantial Pell Grant population) balances out the slightly lower but still solid starting salary.

For families prioritizing affordability and reasonable post-graduation debt, this program clears the bar. Just understand that within Georgia alone, you're looking at programs that deliver $7,000-8,000 more in immediate earning power with comparable debt levels.