Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing at Bay de Noc Community College

Bay de Noc Community College's nursing program graduates earn nearly $11,000 less than the typical Michigan nursing graduate with an associate degree, placing it in the bottom quarter statewide. First-year earnings of $57,430 trail not just competitors like Jackson College ($76,000) and Mid Michigan College ($75,500), but also the state median by 16%. That's a meaningful gap when many Michigan community colleges are producing nursing graduates who immediately earn in the low-to-mid $70,000s.

The modest debt load of $23,250 offers some consolation—it's roughly in line with state norms and translates to a manageable 0.40 debt-to-earnings ratio. Four years out, graduates see earnings climb to nearly $60,000, but that 4% growth barely keeps pace with inflation and doesn't close the gap with peers. The combination of below-average starting salaries and limited earnings progression means graduates here face a longer path to financial stability than they would at most other Michigan nursing programs.

For families prioritizing nursing as a stable career, this program delivers employability but not competitive compensation. If Bay de Noc is the local option and relocation isn't feasible, the debt remains manageable enough to make it workable. But students with access to higher-performing Michigan programs should strongly consider those alternatives—the $15,000+ annual earnings difference compounds significantly over a nursing career.