Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing at East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania

East Stroudsburg nursing graduates start strong—first-year earnings of $80,020 place them above both national and Pennsylvania medians—but this advantage doesn't last. By year four, median earnings drop to $74,073, falling below where they started and slightly under the state median. This earnings decline is unusual for nursing programs and warrants careful consideration, though the $27,000 in debt remains manageable with a first-year debt ratio of 0.34.

Within Pennsylvania's competitive nursing landscape of 52 programs, East Stroudsburg sits right in the middle at the 60th percentile. Graduates earn noticeably less than peers from nearby programs like Immaculata ($87,624) or Villanova ($86,241), representing a roughly $10,000 annual gap that compounds over a career. The university's 93% admission rate and accessibility for Pell-eligible students (40% of undergrads) make it an option for students who might not access more selective programs, but that comes with a real earnings tradeoff.

The moderate sample size suggests these numbers are reasonably reliable. For families prioritizing immediate employment with modest debt, this program delivers—new grads earn well enough to manage their loans comfortably. However, if you're comparing multiple Pennsylvania nursing programs, understand that this sits firmly in the middle tier, and the downward earnings trajectory suggests graduates may face constraints in career advancement that peers at higher-performing programs avoid.