Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing at Lake Washington Institute of Technology

Lake Washington Institute of Technology's nursing graduates start strong with earnings of $83,313—well above the national median and competitive with Washington's top nursing programs. At $15,000 in median debt, graduates face a remarkably manageable financial burden with a debt-to-earnings ratio of just 0.18. That means a new nurse could theoretically pay off their entire debt in about two months of gross earnings, an exceptional scenario for any healthcare degree.

The catch is the slight earnings dip to $80,149 by year four. While this 4% decline is worth noting, it doesn't fundamentally change the value equation. These graduates still earn more than the Washington state median four years out, and they're doing so with significantly less debt than the typical nursing student in the state. Some of this earnings variation likely reflects the realities of shift work, part-time preferences, or nurses moving between clinical settings rather than career stagnation.

For families weighing nursing programs in Washington, this represents one of the better cost-to-outcome combinations available. You're getting near-elite earnings outcomes at a fraction of the debt burden found at many competitors. The financial foundation here is solid enough to absorb the modest earnings fluctuation.