Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing at Arizona College of Nursing-Fort Lauderdale

Arizona College of Nursing graduates earn $85,169 a year out—well above the national median and competitive within Florida's crowded nursing market. However, they're carrying nearly double the typical debt load for this program: $51,854 versus a state median of just $23,261. That places this school in the bottom 5th percentile nationally for debt, meaning 95% of nursing programs saddle students with less.

The math still works, but barely. A debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.61 means graduates should be able to manage repayment, especially given nursing's job stability. But compare this to Florida's community colleges: Valencia and Miami Dade graduates earn similar salaries ($93,751 and $90,158) while borrowing half as much. That's a $30,000 difference in debt for comparable—or better—outcomes. For a program serving predominantly lower-income students (67% receive Pell grants), that debt gap matters tremendously.

The clear issue here is cost structure. If your child already has credits toward this program or specific circumstances make Arizona College their best option, the earnings support repayment. But for most Florida families, starting at a community college nursing program offers a far better financial position without sacrificing income potential. The degree works; it's just expensive relative to what's available in-state.