Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing at Hesston College

Hesston College's nursing graduates earn $68,338 in their first year—barely above the Kansas median but significantly below the national average for BSN programs. While landing right at the state's 40th percentile sounds middle-of-the-pack, it means half of Kansas nursing programs deliver better outcomes, including several small colleges like Ottawa and Southwestern that place graduates earning $7,000-8,000 more annually.

The program keeps debt reasonable at $27,000, producing a manageable 0.40 debt-to-earnings ratio. That's the silver lining here: graduates aren't overleveraged, and nursing's inherent job security means they'll have steady employment to pay off loans. However, when your child could potentially earn 11% more from nearby programs with similar debt loads, the value proposition becomes harder to justify on pure financial terms.

For families prioritizing Hesston's specific environment or community, this program won't derail finances—it's fundamentally sound with manageable debt and decent starting pay. But parents focused on maximizing ROI should compare carefully against Kansas programs that consistently outperform at the same debt level. The moderate sample size suggests established but not extensive graduate outcomes, making those comparisons with schools like Ottawa particularly relevant.