Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing at Dewey University-Juana Diaz

These numbers reflect Puerto Rico's economic reality, where even professional healthcare wages lag dramatically behind the mainland—but they also raise questions about this specific program's preparation of its graduates.

At $13,912 in first-year earnings, Dewey-Juana Diaz nursing graduates earn substantially below Puerto Rico's already-low median of $16,905 for associate nursing programs. More concerning: the top five nursing programs in Puerto Rico report nearly identical earnings around $31,869—more than double what Dewey graduates achieve. This suggests either graduates are working part-time, facing barriers to licensure, or entering lower-tier healthcare roles. With 92% of students receiving Pell grants and relatively low debt of $6,120, families aren't taking on catastrophic loans, but the debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.44 still means nearly half a year's income goes to repayment.

The caveat matters here: this data comes from fewer than 30 graduates, so these figures may not represent typical outcomes. However, the gap between this program and Puerto Rico's top nursing programs is too large to ignore. If your child is set on nursing in Puerto Rico, investigate why this program's graduates earn half what others do locally—it may signal differences in clinical placement, NCLEX pass rates, or employer recognition. This outcome pattern demands specific answers before enrollment.