Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing at Lindsey Wilson College

The backwards earnings trajectory here demands attention: Lindsey Wilson nursing graduates earn $66,800 in their first year, then see incomes drop to $55,804 by year four—a 16% decline that's rare in nursing. While that initial salary isn't terrible for Kentucky (40th percentile statewide), it falls well short of what the state's top nursing programs deliver. Compare this to University of Pikeville or Beckfield College-Florence grads, who earn over $80,000, and the gap becomes hard to ignore.

The $23,000 debt load is actually lower than both state and national medians, which helps soften the blow. That 0.34 debt-to-earnings ratio looks manageable based on first-year income. But bank on that declining earnings pattern continuing, and this program's value proposition weakens considerably. It's unclear whether graduates are moving into lower-paying specialties, facing regional labor market constraints, or hitting career plateaus early, but something is suppressing income growth when most nurses see steady advancement.

For families where $23,000 in debt is realistic and that first-year salary meets immediate needs, this could work—especially given that half of students here receive Pell grants, suggesting affordability is baked into the model. But if your child has options at programs like UK, Pikeville, or University of the Cumberlands, those deliver significantly stronger Kentucky nursing outcomes without necessarily more debt.