Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing at Dewey University-Manati

These numbers reflect Puerto Rico's fundamentally different nursing market—where even strong programs see earnings that look catastrophic by mainland standards. At $13,912 annually, Dewey-Manati graduates earn less than one-fifth the national median, though this puts them at the 25th percentile among Puerto Rico nursing programs. The real concern: top-performing PR nursing programs (like the EDP University locations) show graduates earning $31,869—more than double Dewey's figure. That gap suggests this isn't just about Puerto Rico's lower wages; something is limiting Dewey graduates' ability to access better-paying positions even within their local market.

The relatively low debt load ($6,120) offers modest reassurance, creating a debt-to-earnings ratio that would be concerning on the mainland but is comparatively manageable here. Still, with 89% of students receiving Pell grants, we're talking about a population with limited financial cushion. The small sample size adds uncertainty—we can't know if these figures reflect consistent outcomes or a particularly difficult cohort.

The bottom line for parents: If nursing school in Puerto Rico is the plan, recognize that even successful graduates face earnings well below mainland standards. But push hard to understand why this program trails other PR options so significantly. The best nursing programs on the island generate earnings that could at least support independent living; this one appears to fall short of that threshold.