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

Arizona College of Nursing-Tampa graduates earn substantially more than typical Florida nursing grads—about $9,000 above the state median—but they're paying roughly double the debt to get there. At $51,854, this program's debt load is more than twice Florida's typical nursing debt of $23,261, though the strong first-year earnings of $85,169 keep the debt-to-earnings ratio manageable at 0.61 (meaning debt equals roughly 7 months of salary). You're essentially betting on premium earnings to justify premium tuition at this for-profit institution.

The comparison to Florida's community colleges is striking: Valencia and Miami Dade graduates earn nearly the same or more ($93,751 and $90,158 respectively) while carrying far less debt. The 100% admission rate and high Pell Grant enrollment (53%) suggest the school is accessible, but accessibility doesn't equal value when state college graduates across Florida are entering the workforce with similar or better outcomes at half the cost.

If your child already has admission to a Florida state college nursing program, the extra $28,000 in debt here is difficult to justify. The earnings are solid—84th percentile nationally—but they don't offset the financial disadvantage compared to public alternatives. This makes sense only if community college programs aren't accessible due to competitive admissions or if your child needs the flexibility of a for-profit model's scheduling. Otherwise, the state college path delivers comparable nursing careers without the debt burden.