Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing at Aurora University

Aurora University's nursing graduates start strong at $72,520, carrying manageable debt of $26,000—a 0.36 ratio that's well within sustainable territory. But there's a wrinkle: earnings actually slip to $69,679 by year four, an unusual pattern when most nurses see steady wage growth as they gain experience. Among Illinois's 41 nursing programs, this lands squarely at the 40th percentile, trailing peers like Chamberlain and Governors State by over $10,000 annually.

The debt load is reasonable, and for students who need an accessible entry point into nursing (the school's 85% acceptance rate serves many first-generation college students), this program delivers licensure and immediate employment. However, the backwards earnings trajectory deserves scrutiny. It could reflect graduates moving from higher-paying hospital positions to other settings, or simply that Aurora's network doesn't connect students to the highest-paying opportunities in the Chicago metro area.

For families prioritizing debt minimization and a clear path to RN licensure, this works—you're getting a nursing degree without crushing loans. But if your child can access higher-ranked Illinois programs, the $8,000-13,000 annual earning premium at schools like Saint Xavier or Loyola adds up quickly. Run the numbers: over a 30-year career, even a $5,000 annual difference means $150,000 in additional earnings, far outweighing any modest tuition differences.