Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing at Capital University

Capital's nursing program lands right at the Ohio median for first-year earnings ($70,365), but here's the puzzle: graduates actually earn less four years later ($64,367), dropping 8% while most nursing careers are accelerating. That downward trajectory is unusual enough to warrant understanding why—whether it reflects career choices like moving to lower-paying specialties or part-time work, or something about the program's clinical preparation.

The debt picture offers some reassurance. At $27,000, it matches both state and national medians, creating a manageable 0.38 debt-to-earnings ratio. That means graduates start with reasonable monthly payments even as their incomes mysteriously decline. While Capital ranks 60th percentile among Ohio's 66 nursing programs—solidly middle-of-the-pack for the state—it lags behind higher performers like Chamberlain ($83,188) and several Ohio University campuses by $5,000-$13,000 annually.

For an anxious parent, the fundamental question is whether you're comfortable with earnings that peak immediately and then retreat, even if the debt load stays reasonable. If your child is set on Capital for other reasons (location, campus culture, smaller classes), the financial risk isn't catastrophic. But if nursing program choice is flexible, several Ohio alternatives deliver stronger long-term earning trajectories at similar debt levels.