Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing at Kirtland Community College

Kirtland Community College's nursing program sits squarely in the middle of Michigan's nursing landscape—40th percentile statewide—but what matters more is the unusual earnings pattern. Graduates start strong at $67,468, then see their income drop to $62,196 by year four. While this isn't catastrophic, it's the opposite of what typically happens in nursing careers, where experience usually commands higher pay.

The debt load of $23,500 is manageable, especially given that first-year salary. You're looking at a debt-to-earnings ratio of just 0.35, meaning graduates earn roughly three times what they borrowed. That's workable math for a nursing career. However, the declining earnings trajectory raises questions about whether graduates are finding the advancement opportunities they need in this rural Michigan region, or if there are local market constraints affecting pay scales.

Here's the bottom line: if your child plans to stay in the Grayling area and can secure that initial $67K salary, the debt is reasonable. But compare this to top-performing Michigan programs like Jackson or Mid Michigan, where graduates earn $75K+ and maintain stronger growth trajectories. The $4,000-8,000 earnings gap compounds over a career. For a similar investment, stronger programs exist within Michigan's community college system that offer better long-term earning potential.