Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing at Fortis College-Orange Park

Fortis College-Orange Park charges significantly more than most Florida nursing programs—$34,979 in median debt puts it in the 95th percentile nationally for cost—yet delivers earnings ($66,591) that land in the 60th percentile within Florida. That's a troubling mismatch. Compare this to Valencia College, where nursing graduates earn $70,422 with likely far less debt, or Broward College at $72,991. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.53 means graduates carry debt equal to more than half their first-year salary, which will constrain their finances for years.

The program does serve a predominantly lower-income population (75% receive Pell grants), and the absolute earnings aren't terrible—graduates do clear $66,000 in year one, above Florida's state median for the program. But when you're borrowing nearly $35,000 for an associate degree, you need exceptional outcomes to justify that investment. This program doesn't deliver them. Florida has 73 nursing programs, many at public colleges where costs run substantially lower.

For a parent, the calculation is straightforward: community colleges across Florida produce nursing graduates who earn similar or better salaries while incurring half the debt. Unless you have specific circumstances that make Fortis the only viable option, the financial risk here is hard to justify when more affordable alternatives consistently outperform it.