Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing at Beckfield College-Florence

Beckfield College's nursing program graduates earn above the state median initially, ranking in the 60th percentile among Kentucky programs. But here's the problem: earnings drop 9% by year four, falling to $59,725—below both state and national benchmarks. Combined with $36,983 in debt (nearly $14,000 above Kentucky's median and $16,000 above the national average), this creates a debt burden that takes significantly longer to justify than competing programs.

The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.56 isn't catastrophic for nursing, but it's notably higher than what you'd see at programs like Morehead State or Galen College of Nursing, where graduates carry less debt and maintain stronger mid-career earnings. The earnings decline is particularly concerning—most nursing programs show stable or growing incomes as nurses gain experience and pursue specialty certifications. Something about this program's graduate outcomes diverges from the typical nursing career trajectory.

For a field as stable as nursing, where starting salaries above $60,000 are common, families should expect better. The debt load here means your child would be repaying loans while peers from other Kentucky programs are building savings. Unless there are compelling geographic or scheduling reasons to choose Beckfield, other in-state options offer clearer paths to financial stability in a profession that should provide exactly that.