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

Arizona College of Nursing-Tempe graduates earn $85,169 in their first year—placing them in the 84th percentile nationally and solidly above the national median of $74,888. That's good news. The challenge is the price tag: at $51,854 in median debt, students here borrow nearly twice what nursing graduates typically do ($27,000 nationally). This debt level ranks in the 5th percentile, meaning 95% of nursing programs nationwide send students out with less debt.

Within Arizona, the picture becomes clearer. These earnings rank at the 60th percentile for the state, which means several Arizona nursing programs produce higher-earning graduates—including University of Phoenix, Aspen, and Grand Canyon—while the debt here is 62% higher than Arizona's typical $32,011. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.61 is manageable for a nursing career, and the open admission policy (100% acceptance rate, 47% Pell recipients) means the school is accessible to students who might face barriers elsewhere.

The fundamental question: is the extra $20,000-24,000 in debt worth it compared to other Arizona programs? Given that four other in-state options produce higher earnings with likely lower debt, this program works best for students who value the convenience or accessibility of this particular campus but should proceed knowing they're paying a premium for it.