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

Berry College nursing graduates start strong with first-year earnings of $75,343, but here's the catch: by year four, those earnings drop to $64,211—a 15% decline that's unusual in a profession where wages typically climb with experience. While the debt load of $26,250 is reasonable and the initial debt-to-earnings ratio looks manageable at 0.35, that picture worsens as earnings fall rather than rise.

The Georgia comparison tells the tougher story. Berry ranks in just the 40th percentile among the state's 37 nursing programs, with graduates earning about $12,000 less than their counterparts at East Georgia State College or Georgia Highlands College after four years on the job. Nationally, the program performs closer to average, but parents paying private college tuition should note that Georgia's public nursing programs consistently produce stronger mid-career outcomes.

The earnings trajectory deserves scrutiny. New nurses changing specialties or relocating might explain some decline, but this pattern suggests graduates may struggle to advance or secure the higher-paying positions that typically come with experience. For families comfortable with Berry's broader residential college experience and willing to accept that nursing outcomes lag behind the state's stronger programs, the manageable debt keeps this from being a poor choice—just not a standout one in a state with many alternatives.