Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing at Lamar State College-Port Arthur

Lamar State College-Port Arthur's nursing graduates command impressive starting salaries—$78,580 puts them in the 87th percentile nationally and among the top five programs in Texas. That's roughly $10,000 above the national median for associate degree nursing programs and $7,000 above the typical Texas nursing graduate. The catch? Graduates here carry significantly more debt than their peers, with $33,385 compared to just $18,000 at the median Texas nursing program.

That debt gap matters, though it's tempered by the strong earnings. While the debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.42 means graduates owe about five months of their first-year salary, this is still manageable territory for healthcare. Texas nursing programs typically offer lower debt loads—many community colleges bring students in under $20,000—but few match these salary outcomes. Among Texas programs with similar earnings, only El Paso Community College delivers comparable pay with substantially less debt.

The small sample size here (under 30 graduates) means these numbers could shift year to year, so verify current outcomes before enrolling. If your child can secure this program's strong salary trajectory, the higher debt becomes a calculated trade-off rather than a dealbreaker, especially with nursing's job stability. Just ensure they understand they're taking on nearly double the typical debt for a Texas nursing degree.