Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing at Hannibal-LaGrange University

Hannibal-LaGrange's associate nursing program sits squarely in the middle of Missouri's nursing landscape—ranking in the 60th percentile statewide—but comes with an unusual earnings pattern worth understanding. Graduates start at $63,863, slightly below both the Missouri median ($63,204) and well below the national median ($68,409). More concerning is the 11% decline in earnings by year four, dropping to $56,852. While some earnings fluctuation happens with small sample sizes (this program graduates under 30 students), this backward trajectory differs from the typical nursing career arc where experience commands higher pay.

The debt picture is more favorable: at $26,174, it's higher than both state and national medians but remains manageable with a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.41. That means graduates could theoretically pay off their loans in under six months of gross income. However, the value comparison is stark—Missouri's top community college nursing programs like St. Charles and Saint Louis Community College produce graduates earning $68,000+ with comparable or lower debt loads.

If your child is already committed to this institution for other reasons, the nursing program won't derail their finances. But if choosing purely based on nursing outcomes, Missouri offers stronger options at the community college level that deliver both higher starting salaries and better long-term earnings potential.