Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing at Arkansas State University

Arkansas State's nursing program starts strong with $70,358 in first-year earnings—slightly above both national and state medians—but then earnings drop 13% by year four. This earnings decline is unusual for nursing, which typically offers stable or growing income as graduates gain experience. The moderate debt load of $25,750 (higher than Arkansas's typical $18,375 for nursing programs) means graduates start with manageable payments, but the trajectory raises questions about why income falls rather than rises.

Among Arkansas nursing programs, this ranks solidly in the middle—60th percentile—but several community colleges produce graduates earning $4,000-$8,000 more annually. Phillips Community College and ASU-Newport both show stronger first-year outcomes. The concerning part isn't the starting salary, which is reasonable, but rather what happens next. Whether graduates are moving to lower-paying nursing roles, reducing hours, or leaving the field entirely, something shifts between years one and four that suppresses earnings.

For families, this program offers a practical entry to nursing without crushing debt, but the earnings pattern deserves scrutiny. If your child plans to stay in Arkansas and work full-time in acute care settings, ask the school directly about career paths for recent graduates and why mid-career earnings dip. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.37 is manageable, but only if that initial salary holds steady—and the data suggests it doesn't.