Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing at Fortis College-Cutler Bay

Fortis College-Cutler Bay graduates earn slightly above Florida's median for nursing programs, but they're carrying debt loads that put them among the most leveraged nursing grads in the country. At $37,444, the debt burden is 45% higher than Florida's typical nursing program and nearly double the national median. That 0.56 debt-to-earnings ratio means graduates are starting their careers with obligations equivalent to more than half their first-year salary—manageable in nursing, but tighter than it should be for an associate degree.

The earnings themselves tell a complicated story. While $66,396 places this program above Florida's median and ahead of 60% of nursing programs in the state, it trails the national benchmark and sits well below what graduates of Florida's top nursing programs achieve. Schools like Broward College and Valencia College—both public institutions—produce nurses earning $6,000-7,000 more annually, likely with substantially lower debt. The minimal earnings growth (just 1% over four years) suggests graduates aren't climbing the pay ladder quickly enough to offset their debt disadvantage.

For families weighing this option, the core question is whether the premium tuition justifies outcomes that are merely middle-of-the-pack. The program serves a predominantly Pell-eligible population and gets students into nursing jobs, but Florida offers multiple pathways into this field with better financial profiles. Unless location or scheduling constraints make alternatives impractical, exploring public college nursing programs could deliver similar or better earnings with far less debt.