Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing at Florida Career College-Lauderdale Lakes

Among Florida's 73 nursing associate programs, this one ranks in just the 10th percentile for earnings—meaning 90% of comparable programs in the state deliver better results. At $42,793 in the first year, graduates here earn about $22,000 less annually than the Florida median for nursing programs ($64,718), and nearly $26,000 less than national benchmarks. Meanwhile, the debt burden of $36,339 sits well above both state and national medians, creating an 0.85 debt-to-earnings ratio that takes nearly a full year's salary to match. Compare this to highly-rated Florida options like Broward College or Valencia College, where graduates earn $70,000+ with significantly lower debt loads.

The 27% earnings growth to $54,348 by year four offers some recovery, but even at that point graduates still trail the typical first-year earnings at better-performing programs. For a school serving 75% Pell Grant recipients—students who can least afford a weak return on investment—these outcomes are particularly troubling.

With so many stronger nursing programs across Florida offering lower debt and $20,000+ higher starting salaries, families should seriously question whether this program justifies its cost. The nursing shortage means jobs are available, but that doesn't mean all nursing degrees deliver equal value. Your child deserves a program where the debt makes financial sense from day one.