Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing at Hudson Valley Community College

Hudson Valley Community College's nursing program delivers solid starting salaries at $69,638—above the national average—but trails most New York nursing programs significantly. At the 40th percentile statewide, graduates here earn roughly $4,000 less than the typical New York nursing associate degree holder, and nearly $33,000 less than top-performing programs like Cochran or CUNY Hostos. In a state where nursing salaries are generally strong, this program lands in the bottom half.

The financial structure works reasonably well: $27,436 in debt translates to just 39 cents owed for every dollar of first-year earnings, manageable on a nursing salary. However, earnings actually decline slightly to $67,013 by year four, suggesting graduates may face limited advancement or are shifting to lower-paying specialties. This isn't disastrous—they're still earning solidly—but it's worth noting when other programs show earnings growth over the same period.

For families prioritizing affordability and local access to nursing credentials, this program gets you licensed without crushing debt. But if you're comparing options across New York, recognize you're accepting a significant earnings gap compared to other community college nursing programs in the state. The license matters more than the institution name in nursing, yet location and network effects appear to drive meaningful salary differences here.