Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing at City College-Altamonte Springs

A debt load of $34,859 for an associate nursing degree raises immediate concerns, especially when similar Florida programs typically leave graduates with around $25,749 in loans. While comparable programs across the state suggest first-year earnings near $64,719, this program's estimated debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.54 means your child would be carrying more than half their first year's salary in student loans. For context, top-performing nursing programs in Florida—Valencia College, Broward College, and several others—produce graduates earning $70,000-plus with significantly less debt.

The earnings trajectory here adds another wrinkle: four-year earnings actually drop to $57,692, which runs counter to typical career progression in nursing. Whether this reflects graduates moving to lower-paying settings, working part-time, or simply the limitations of estimated data, it suggests caution. Nursing remains one of the more reliable career paths at the associate level, but the financial fundamentals here—higher-than-average debt paired with uncertain earnings growth—don't stack up favorably against other Florida options.

Given the combination of estimated figures and a debt picture that exceeds both state and national norms, your best move is identifying schools with actual reported outcomes. Several Florida programs demonstrate they can deliver strong nursing salaries with half the debt burden, making them substantially safer bets for your investment.