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

Columbia College's nursing associate program shows an unusual pattern worth examining carefully: graduates earn $65,768 initially—higher than Missouri's median—but see earnings drop to $61,007 by year four. While this places the program in the 60th percentile statewide, it lags behind Missouri's community college options like St. Charles ($68,488) and Saint Louis Community College ($68,262), which typically cost less and deliver stronger outcomes.

The upside here is manageable debt. At $30,500, borrowing sits well below both national and state medians, keeping the debt-to-earnings ratio at a reasonable 0.46. For context, many nursing programs saddle graduates with $40,000+ in loans. Combined with a 44% Pell Grant population, Columbia College clearly serves students who need affordable pathways into healthcare careers. However, the earnings decline over four years—whether due to changing work patterns, regional employment factors, or just statistical noise from the small sample—means graduates may not see the income growth typical in nursing.

The bottom line: This program gets students into nursing jobs without crushing debt, but they'll likely earn less than peers at Missouri's community colleges while facing unusual wage stagnation. If your child has already chosen Columbia College for other reasons, nursing remains a viable major. But if choosing purely on financial outcomes, the community college alternatives offer better value.