Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing at Florida State College at Jacksonville

Florida State College at Jacksonville produces nursing graduates who earn slightly above both the national and state medians right out of the gate, but the real story here is the exceptional debt load. At just $18,855, graduates carry about 40% less debt than the typical Florida nursing program and roughly 30% less than the national average. That 0.24 debt-to-earnings ratio means students owe less than three months of their first-year salary—a remarkably clean financial start.

The earnings picture is solid if unspectacular. While graduates at the state's top programs pull in $90,000-plus, Jacksonville nursing grads start around $77,000 and see modest growth to nearly $80,000 by year four. That 60th percentile ranking means you're doing better than average, but you're not competing with the highest earners. Still, nursing remains one of the most reliable healthcare careers, and starting five figures above the state median matters less when you're not dragging $25,000 in loans.

For families prioritizing financial security over maximizing earnings, this program delivers exactly what nursing education should: a professional credential, immediate employability, and minimal debt burden. The combination of above-average starting pay and exceptionally low borrowing makes this a low-risk path into a stable career, even if it won't produce the earnings some Florida nursing programs achieve.