Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing at ATA College-Cincinnati

ATA College-Cincinnati's nursing program faces a troubling combination: debt levels more than double the state average ($43,416 vs. $26,952) while earnings barely match Ohio's median and actually decline by year four. That 60th percentile state ranking sounds middling until you realize grads at comparable Ohio schools like Hondros or Mercy College earn $8,000-10,000 more annually while carrying far less debt.

The backwards trajectory—from $64,478 to $61,187 over four years—raises questions about whether graduates face job stability issues or advancement barriers. Meanwhile, the program serves a predominantly Pell-eligible population (84%) yet saddles them with debt burdens in the 95th percentile nationally. For context, many Ohio community colleges produce nursing graduates earning similar or better salaries with half the debt load.

The harsh reality: your child would need roughly 8-9 months of gross earnings just to cover the debt from this program, versus 4-5 months at typical Ohio nursing schools. Unless there's a compelling geographic or scheduling reason to choose ATA College, other Cincinnati-area programs offer substantially better financial outcomes. The robust sample size means these figures aren't statistical flukes—this is the actual experience of 100+ graduates.