Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing at Columbiana County Career and Technical Center

Nursing graduates from Columbiana County Career and Technical Center face a puzzling reality: they earn about $3,200 less annually than the typical Ohio nursing graduate, placing them in the bottom half of state programs, yet they emerge with notably less debt than most of their peers. At $20,637, their debt load sits roughly $5,000 below the state median, creating a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.33 that's manageable by any standard. For a program serving predominantly working-class students (68% receive Pell grants), this lower debt burden matters significantly.

The earnings gap is real but not dramatic. First-year graduates make about 95% of what their counterparts earn at nearby programs like Collins Career Technical Center or Trinity Health System. Given Ohio's robust nursing job market, this difference might reflect regional variations in hospital systems around Lisbon rather than program quality issues. That said, stronger programs in the state—like Ohio Institute of Allied Health—produce graduates earning $11,000 more right out of the gate, suggesting room for improvement in clinical placements or employer connections.

For parents weighing the financial calculus: their child will enter a stable profession with reasonable debt, but should understand they're trading some earning potential for that lower loan burden. If staying in the Columbiana County area long-term, this represents solid value. If geographic flexibility exists, exploring higher-earning Ohio programs might justify slightly more debt.