Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing at Columbus Technical College

The small sample size here demands caution, but there's a puzzling pattern worth understanding: Columbus Tech nursing graduates start strong at $72,650—beating both the Georgia median and national average—yet see earnings drop to $57,873 within four years. This 20% decline is unusual for nursing, which typically offers stable or growing wages. While the low debt load of $15,845 provides cushion against this earnings volatility, it's concerning that graduates may be earning $15,000 less than the state median by year four.

What makes this harder to interpret is the sample size—fewer than 30 graduates means a few career changes, relocations, or part-time shifts could dramatically skew the numbers. The program does seem accessible (54% of students receive Pell grants) and keeps debt reasonable. However, the year-four earnings put graduates well behind peers at schools like Chattahoochee Tech or West Georgia Tech, where nurses are earning $80,000+.

If your child is considering this program, the debt is manageable enough that even the lower year-four figure wouldn't be crushing. But given the stronger track records at other Georgia technical colleges—and the uncertainty these numbers raise—it's worth exploring whether those nearby alternatives might offer better long-term earning stability.