Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing at CUNY Hostos Community College

Hostos Community College's nursing graduates are earning nearly $98,000 just one year after completing their associate degree—that's $24,000 more than the typical New York nursing program and $30,000 above the national average. Among New York's 64 nursing programs, this ranks in the 80th percentile, placing it alongside some of the state's specialized nursing colleges while serving a predominantly low-income population (63% receive Pell grants). With debt averaging just $11,433, graduates face a debt burden of only 0.12 times their first-year salary—exceptional by any measure.

The slight earnings dip to $96,000 by year four is inconsequential given the already-strong starting point, and the debt-to-earnings picture remains outstanding throughout. The main caveat here is the small sample size (under 30 graduates), which means these numbers could shift more dramatically than data from larger programs. However, the earnings figures align with other strong New York nursing programs, suggesting they're not statistical flukes.

For families in the Bronx looking at nursing programs, this represents an exceptional value proposition: minimal debt, immediate high earnings, and outcomes that compete with specialized nursing schools costing far more. The risk from the small sample is real but doesn't diminish what these numbers show—a community college delivering elite-level career outcomes.