Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing at Baptist Health System School of Health Professions

Baptist Health System delivers strong first-year earnings at $91,456—beating the national median by more than $16,000 and landing in the 95th percentile nationally. However, Texas nursing programs are exceptionally strong, and this program ranks at the 60th percentile statewide, trailing competitors like University of Houston-Clear Lake and Austin Community College that achieve similar or better outcomes. The real question for parents: is the debt premium worth it?

At $43,010, graduates here carry nearly double the state median debt and significantly more than the national benchmark. While the 0.47 debt-to-earnings ratio remains manageable—graduates earn enough to cover their debt in roughly six months—competing Texas programs typically achieve this with half the borrowing. For comparison, Austin Community College produces nearly identical earnings ($88,105) with likely lower debt burdens given its public community college structure.

The value proposition works if your student specifically wants this institution's concentrated healthcare network connections in San Antonio—over half of students here receive Pell grants, suggesting strong support services for diverse backgrounds. But financially, this represents paying a significant debt premium for outcomes that, while excellent nationally, are merely above-average within Texas's competitive nursing market. If minimizing debt is a priority, several Texas alternatives deliver comparable earnings without the $43,000 price tag.