Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing at Louisiana State University-Alexandria

LSU-Alexandria nursing graduates earn nearly $83,000 in their first year—significantly above both the national median ($75,000) and Louisiana's median ($78,000) for nursing programs. What makes this particularly notable is the school's accessibility: with a 93% admission rate and over a third of students on Pell grants, this program proves that selective admissions aren't necessary to produce strong nursing outcomes. The debt load of $28,000 results in a 0.34 debt-to-earnings ratio, meaning graduates earn back their entire debt in roughly four months of work.

Within Louisiana's nursing landscape, this program ranks in the 60th percentile—respectable performance that places it squarely in the middle tier. Only a handful of programs like Dillard and Chamberlain achieve higher first-year earnings, and the difference is modest (around $3,000-4,000). For students who might not gain admission to more selective programs, LSU-Alexandria delivers comparable financial results without the uncertainty.

The combination of above-average earnings, manageable debt, and open admissions makes this a practical choice for Louisiana families. Nursing graduates here enter the workforce earning enough to quickly overcome their student loans while avoiding the debt traps that plague some career programs.