Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing at Herzing University-Minneapolis

Herzing University-Minneapolis delivers solid starting salaries for nursing graduates, with first-year earnings of $75,774 that slightly exceed both national ($74,888) and Minnesota medians ($75,577). However, this program follows an unusual "early peak" pattern where earnings actually decline by 7% to $70,560 by year four—a red flag that warrants serious consideration.

The financial picture has both strengths and concerns. On the positive side, graduates carry significantly lower debt ($43,985) compared to national ($27,000) and state ($28,495) medians, resulting in a manageable debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.58. Among Minnesota nursing programs, this ranks in the 60th percentile for earnings, putting it in decent but not exceptional territory—well behind top performers like Walden ($88,877) and Capella ($85,426).

The earnings decline from year one to four is the program's biggest weakness and suggests graduates may face limited career advancement or wage growth compared to peers from other programs. While the lower debt burden provides some cushion, parents should investigate why this program's graduates don't see the typical nursing career progression. For a field with strong job security and growth prospects, you'd expect earnings to increase over time, not decrease. Consider whether the higher-performing Minnesota programs justify their additional cost given nursing's strong ROI potential.