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

Catawba College's nursing program falls in the middle tier of North Carolina's nursing schools—at the 40th percentile statewide—with graduates earning $70,522 their first year. That's about $1,300 below the state median and $4,400 below the national benchmark. With moderate debt of $27,250, the debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.39 is manageable, meaning graduates owe roughly five months' salary. This isn't a red flag, but it's worth noting that several NC schools deliver better outcomes: Chamberlain and University of Mount Olive graduates earn over $10,000 more annually, while programs like NC Central and Duke offer both higher earnings and similar debt loads.

The real caveat here is sample size—fewer than 30 graduates in this cohort means one or two outliers could skew these numbers significantly. The pattern suggests Catawba produces competent nurses who find employment, but perhaps not at the highest-paying hospital systems or specialty units that boost early-career salaries. For a family weighing options, this program works if your student is committed to Catawba for fit or scholarship reasons, but if maximizing nursing income matters, stronger alternatives exist within North Carolina at comparable or lower debt levels. The outcomes aren't alarming, just average in a competitive state market.