Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing at Kent State University at Ashtabula

Kent State Ashtabula's nursing program sits right at Ohio's median for earnings but enters students into a worrisome career trajectory. While graduates start at $64,169—a respectable figure that matches the state average and keeps debt manageable at 48% of first-year income—earnings actually drop to $59,213 by year four. This backwards progression is unusual in nursing, where experience typically commands higher pay.

The debt picture offers some relief: at $31,000, borrowing here runs higher than the state median but remains well below national norms for nursing programs. Combined with the solid starting salary, graduates can realistically tackle their loans. However, the 60th percentile ranking among Ohio programs means your child would be earning less than many peers at nearby schools—Herzing Akron and Hondros College graduates, for instance, start nearly $10,000 higher and presumably maintain stronger trajectories.

For families prioritizing the Kent State name and campus accessibility in northeast Ohio, this program won't derail financial futures. But the declining earnings pattern demands explanation—are graduates moving to part-time work, leaving acute care settings, or facing regional market constraints? Before committing, visit competing programs like Sinclair or Mercy College that show both stronger starting salaries and, presumably, better long-term prospects. The $5,000 earnings difference compounds significantly over a nursing career.