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

Coe's nursing program sits in an uncomfortable middle: it costs what you'd expect for a private college nursing degree, but delivers earnings closer to community college outcomes. At $67,769 in first-year earnings, graduates earn about $7,000 less than the national median for nursing programs and trail nearly every other private nursing school in Iowa—Luther College graduates, for instance, earn over $7,700 more annually right out of the gate.

The 60th percentile state ranking might sound respectable until you realize Iowa has 19 nursing programs, many at lower-cost public institutions. The $27,000 debt load is manageable in absolute terms, but the subtle earnings decline to $66,175 by year four suggests graduates may be stuck in lower-paying hospital positions without the upward mobility seen at stronger programs. That 16th percentile national ranking tells the real story: three-quarters of nursing programs nationwide prepare graduates for better-paying opportunities.

For a private college price tag, your child would be competing for positions typically filled by graduates from more affordable state schools, without the salary premium that usually justifies private tuition. Unless there are compelling non-financial reasons to choose Coe, Iowa's public nursing programs or higher-ranked privates like Luther offer better returns on investment.