Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing at Goodwin University

Goodwin University's nursing graduates earn nearly $11,000 more than the national median right out of the gate, placing them in the 89th percentile nationally—impressive numbers that reflect Connecticut's strong healthcare market. But here's the complication: those same earnings only hit the 60th percentile within Connecticut, and graduates carry debt of $54,370, more than 2.5 times the national median for associate nursing programs. Sacred Heart graduates earn about $6,000 more annually while Connecticut State Community College offers comparable outcomes with significantly lower debt loads.

The real concern isn't the first-year salary—$79,227 is solid—it's the trajectory and the price tag. Earnings dip to $75,069 by year four, which is unusual in nursing where experience typically commands higher pay. Combined with debt that ranks in just the 5th percentile nationally (meaning 95% of similar programs carry less debt), you're looking at nearly $700 monthly in loan payments eating into that salary advantage. The 0.69 debt-to-earnings ratio is manageable but hardly ideal for an associate degree in a field where community colleges often provide the same credential for half the cost.

If your child is committed to Goodwin specifically, the earnings outcomes make this workable—Connecticut nursing salaries can absorb this debt level. But financially, the state's community college system offers a far better deal for essentially the same career entry point. The premium here buys institutional support that may benefit Goodwin's large Pell-eligible population, but it's worth $23,000 in extra debt only if other pathways aren't viable.