Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing at Long Beach City College

California's nursing programs typically produce significantly stronger returns than national averages, which makes Long Beach City College's estimated outcomes puzzling. Similar programs across California suggest first-year earnings around $96,000, yet comparable programs nationally—the basis for this $66,398 estimate—earn about $30,000 less. The estimated $19,250 debt figure aligns closely with California's median, but paired with the lower earnings estimate, it creates a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.29 that appears reasonable on paper but may not reflect what California nursing graduates actually experience.

The gap matters because even nearby community colleges like Cabrillo report first-year earnings exceeding $91,000 for their nursing programs. If Long Beach City College's graduates perform similarly to other California nursing programs—which seems likely given the state's strong healthcare market and nursing wage floors—then the actual return would be substantially better than these national peer estimates suggest. However, with 37% of students receiving Pell grants, families need to understand that this school's specific outcomes remain unknown due to small cohort sizes.

For parents evaluating this program, recognize you're making a decision with incomplete information. The estimated debt load is modest, and California's nursing job market is robust, but without actual data from Long Beach City College, you can't confirm whether this specific program delivers the strong returns typical of California nursing credentials or falls short for reasons the estimates can't reveal.