Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing at Ashland Community and Technical College

Ashland's nursing program starts strong with $64,909 in first-year earnings, but that figure drops to $58,947 by year four—a 9% decline that's unusual in a profession where salaries typically grow with experience. While this places the program at the 60th percentile among Kentucky's 30 nursing programs, it's only in the 29th percentile nationally, and graduates earn roughly $10,000 less than the national median for associate nursing degrees.

The debt picture provides some relief: at $18,756, graduates borrow about $4,200 less than Kentucky's median for nursing programs, resulting in a manageable 0.29 debt-to-earnings ratio. For a program serving a significant population of Pell-eligible students (43%), this relatively modest debt load matters. However, parents should understand why earnings might decline—whether it reflects local labor market conditions in eastern Kentucky, part-time work trends, or limited advancement opportunities without further credentials.

The program gets you working as an RN with reasonable debt, but the combination of below-national earnings and backward salary progression suggests this may be better viewed as a stepping stone than a destination. If your child plans to pursue a BSN later or relocate to higher-paying markets (top Kentucky programs like Pikeville start around $76,000), this could work. If they plan to stay local and advance with just the associate degree, the earnings trajectory becomes more concerning.