Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing at Concorde Career College-Aurora

Concorde Career College's nursing program comes with significantly more debt than you'll find at Colorado's community colleges—about $8,000 more than the state median—while delivering earnings that land squarely in the middle of the pack. First-year graduates earn $70,663, which sits below what you'd see at Front Range or Morgan Community College, both of which cost substantially less. This is a classic case where higher debt isn't translating into higher earnings.

The 40th percentile ranking among Colorado nursing programs is telling. With 15 schools to choose from in the state, several community colleges are producing graduates who out-earn Concorde's while taking on roughly $10,000 less debt. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.43 isn't alarming on its own—graduates can reasonably manage this—but it's harder to justify when nearby alternatives offer better economics. The program does serve a heavily Pell-eligible population (57%), suggesting it may fill an access need for students who face barriers at traditional colleges.

The earnings trajectory is solid with 8% growth to $76,038 by year four, and that first-year salary still beats the national median. But for Colorado families, this looks like paying a premium without getting premium results. Unless geographic constraints or scheduling flexibility make Concorde the only viable option, exploring the state's community college nursing programs first would be financially prudent.