Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants at Donnelly College

Donnelly College nursing graduates earn significantly more than their peers—about $6,000 above the Kansas median and ranking in the 60th percentile statewide—but they're paying nearly double the typical debt to get there. At $27,626, the debt burden is roughly $13,000 higher than both state and national medians, though the 0.56 debt-to-earnings ratio remains manageable compared to many certificate programs.

The strong first-year earnings of $49,147 put graduates within striking distance of Kansas City Kansas Community College (the state's top performer at $48,862), while serving a predominantly lower-income student population. However, earnings plateau quickly, growing just 2% over four years. For context, neighboring community colleges achieve similar outcomes with half the debt load, making them harder to justify passing up unless location or admission timing is a decisive factor.

For families, this comes down to whether the premium outcomes justify the premium cost. If your student needs the flexibility or support structure Donnelly provides—and can secure grants to offset some of that debt—the solid starting salary makes this workable. But if Kansas City KCC or Hutchinson Community College are viable alternatives, those programs deliver comparable earnings with significantly less financial strain. The gap narrows to about $300 monthly in loan payments over a standard repayment period—real money that matters on a practical nurse's salary.