Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing at Berea College

First-year earnings of $67,510 place this program below both the Kentucky median ($70,523) and well below the national median ($74,888) for nursing bachelor's degrees. More concerning, this ranks at just the 15th percentile nationally—meaning 85% of comparable nursing programs produce higher earnings. Even within Kentucky's 23 nursing programs, this falls at the 40th percentile, lagging significantly behind schools like Beckfield College-Florence and University of Pikeville, where new graduates earn over $82,000.

The estimated debt load of $28,500—based on peer programs in Kentucky—sits right at the state median for nursing degrees and translates to a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.42. That's manageable for nursing, where demand remains strong and salaries typically grow. However, starting $7,000 below the state average and $15,000 below top Kentucky programs means slower debt repayment and less financial cushion early in your career. Given Berea's 81% Pell grant population and selective 33% admission rate, these lower earnings are puzzling and warrant investigation into where graduates are finding employment.

The bottom line: while the debt burden appears reasonable based on similar Kentucky programs, the earnings gap is substantial enough that parents should ask the school directly about graduate placement patterns and whether most students stay in lower-paying rural markets. A nursing degree opens doors, but this program's outcomes suggest those doors may lead to less lucrative opportunities than peer institutions offer.