Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing at Dominican University

Dominican University's nursing program lands squarely in the middle of Illinois options, earning $70,530 in the first year—below both the state median ($73,156) and national average ($74,888). At the 40th percentile statewide, it trails nearby competitors like Benedictine and Saint Xavier by nearly $10,000 annually. That gap matters: over a nursing career, it compounds to hundreds of thousands in lost earnings.

The debt picture offers a silver lining. At $23,083, graduates carry about $4,000 less than typical Illinois nursing students, creating a manageable 0.33 debt-to-earnings ratio. You'd pay off student loans faster here than at many alternatives. However, the 80th percentile debt ranking nationally suggests this is still on the higher end when compared to nursing programs across the country, not just within Illinois.

For families choosing between Illinois nursing programs, this comes down to priorities. If minimizing debt matters most and your child is a strong fit for Dominican's smaller campus environment (49% of students receive Pell grants, suggesting solid financial aid), the lower borrowing has real value. But if maximizing earning potential is the goal, Governors State or Benedictine deliver significantly better returns for similar debt loads. The earnings difference isn't catastrophic, but it's persistent enough to warrant a hard look at whether Dominican's specific program advantages justify the $3,000-10,000 annual income trade-off.