Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing at Andrew College

Andrew College's nursing program produces graduates earning roughly $15,000 less than the typical Georgia nursing associate degree holder—a significant gap that places it in just the 25th percentile statewide. When nearly every other Georgia nursing program delivers starting salaries above $70,000, and the top technical colleges push past $85,000, Andrew's $55,522 median suggests either limited clinical preparation or constrained local job markets in the Cuthbert area. The 5th percentile national ranking reinforces that this isn't just a Georgia comparison issue.

The debt picture offers some consolation. At $31,438, graduates carry more than the state median but still maintain a manageable 0.57 debt-to-earnings ratio. With 62% of students receiving Pell grants, Andrew serves a predominantly lower-income population who may have limited alternatives. However, the financial tradeoff remains stark: a graduate here will earn roughly $170,000 less over their first decade compared to someone completing the same degree at Chattahoochee Technical College just two hours north in Marietta.

For families with geographic constraints keeping them near southwest Georgia, this program provides an entry point to nursing. But if relocation is feasible, the data strongly favors Georgia's technical college system, where better clinical networks and stronger employer pipelines translate directly into substantially higher starting salaries with comparable or lower debt loads.