Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing at Louisiana Tech University

Louisiana Tech's nursing program delivers strong first-year earnings of $75,694—significantly above the national median and holding its own among Louisiana's nursing programs, ranking in the 60th percentile statewide. The $21,192 in typical debt is actually below Louisiana's median of $27,259, creating a favorable 0.28 debt-to-earnings ratio that's hard to beat for an associate degree. At first glance, this looks like solid value.

The catch is the earnings trajectory. By year four, median earnings drop to $65,416—a 14% decline that warrants explanation. This pattern might reflect graduates moving from higher-paying hospital roles to outpatient settings, part-time positions, or out-of-state markets with different pay scales. It's worth noting that even with this dip, graduates still clear well above the poverty line and maintain manageable debt, though the drop is steeper than you'd hope to see.

For parents, the key question is whether your child can secure and maintain one of those higher-paying initial positions. The moderate debt and strong starting salary create breathing room, but you'll want to understand local nursing market dynamics in Ruston and surrounding areas. If your student plans to stay in Louisiana, community colleges like Southern Shreveport and Fletcher Tech show slightly higher initial earnings at potentially lower cost—worth comparing total attendance costs before deciding.