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

Hood College's nursing program lands in an unusual position: it outperforms most nursing programs nationally but falls below typical Maryland outcomes. Graduates earn $78,873 in their first year—solidly above the national median of $74,888 and placing them in the 66th percentile nationwide. However, in Maryland's competitive nursing market, this same figure sits at just the 40th percentile. The state median is $79,291, and several Maryland schools launch graduates into the mid-$80,000s right out of college.

The debt picture offers some relief. At $31,000, it's higher than Maryland's typical $25,125 but still moderate compared to the national median of $27,000. The 0.39 debt-to-earnings ratio means graduates can expect to repay their loans in roughly six months of gross income—a manageable burden for a healthcare career with strong job security.

For Maryland families, the question centers on whether the $5,000-6,000 tuition premium over state schools like Frostburg or Towson justifies comparable or slightly lower starting salaries. Hood serves its purpose as an accessible option (78% admission rate, serving working-class students) that delivers reliable nursing credentials. But if your child qualifies for one of Maryland's higher-performing programs—particularly the public universities that combine lower cost with stronger outcomes—those deserve serious consideration first.