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

Kalamazoo Valley's nursing program delivers solid starting salaries at $66,602, but the 7% earnings drop by year four is worth understanding. While graduates start near the state and national medians, most Michigan nursing programs see earnings growth over this period—not decline. At $20,751 in debt, the financial burden is manageable (just 0.31 times first-year earnings), putting this program's cost in line with both state and national averages. However, ranking in the 40th percentile among Michigan's 32 nursing programs means graduates earn less than peers at schools like Jackson College ($75,953) or Mid Michigan College ($75,513).

The earnings dip could reflect various factors—perhaps graduates work part-time while pursuing bachelor's degrees, or local hospital pay scales differ. What matters for your family is whether $61,642 four years out meets your expectations, especially when stronger programs exist within Michigan. The debt load won't be crushing, but the moderate sample size and below-median performance suggest this isn't Michigan's most competitive nursing program.

For in-state tuition, this is a workable path into nursing without excessive debt. But if your child has admission offers from top-performing Michigan community colleges, those programs demonstrate better long-term earning potential with similar debt levels.