Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing at Culver-Stockton College

With a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.41, this nursing program appears to offer reasonable value based on what similar programs in Missouri deliver. The estimated $28,461 in debt sits right at the state median, while projected first-year earnings of $68,874 align with typical outcomes across Missouri's nursing programs—though notably below what graduates from Chamberlain ($83,188) or Research College of Nursing ($75,705) in the same state are earning.

The reality is that Culver-Stockton's nursing graduates may face a tougher climb than peers at Missouri's stronger programs. That $68,874 estimate falls about $6,000 short of the national median for nursing bachelor's degrees, and the school's 98% admission rate and modest academic profile suggest it may not match the clinical placement networks or reputation advantages of the state's top-tier nursing schools. Nursing is generally a solid career path, but your child's earning potential could depend heavily on where they land their first job and whether Culver-Stockton's connections extend to the better-paying hospital systems.

If your child can get into one of Missouri's more competitive nursing programs, those typically produce stronger outcomes. But if Culver-Stockton is the accessible option and keeps debt near this estimate, the fundamentals still work—nurses are in demand, and a debt load under $30,000 remains manageable even at the lower end of nursing salaries.