Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing at Aultman College of Nursing and Health Sciences

Aultman's nursing program lands in an uncomfortable middle: the debt load is reasonable at $28,947, but the earnings trail both state and national expectations. While the debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.52 looks manageable on paper, graduates earn $8,000 less than the Ohio median for nursing programs and sit in just the 40th percentile statewide—meaning six in ten nursing programs in Ohio deliver better outcomes. The 5th percentile national ranking is more alarming, though this reflects Ohio's generally lower nursing salaries rather than a fundamental program weakness.

What makes this harder to justify is the earnings trajectory. Most nurses see steady income growth, but Aultman graduates actually see a 4% decline from year one to year four. For context, nearby Sinclair Community College's nursing program produces graduates earning $69,403—nearly $15,000 more annually—while Mercy College of Ohio hits $69,485. Given that your child will likely work in Ohio where these comparisons matter most, those alternatives deserve serious consideration.

The moderate debt combined with below-average earnings creates a longer payback period than you'd want. If Aultman offers location advantages or your child has already been admitted elsewhere with waitlists, it's not a disaster—nurses find work regardless. But if applications are still open, targeting programs in the top half of Ohio's rankings would put your child in a significantly stronger financial position from day one.