Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing at Manhattan Area Technical College

Manhattan Area Technical College's nursing program lands squarely in the middle of Kansas options but trails the national pack significantly. At $59,298 in first-year earnings, graduates earn about $9,000 less than the national median and fall $3,000 below the Kansas median. While this ranks at the 40th percentile among Kansas nursing programs, it places in just the 5th percentile nationally—meaning 95% of similar programs produce higher-earning graduates.

The debt picture offers some relief: $24,250 is manageable relative to first-year earnings, with a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.41. That's slightly above both national and state medians for debt, but nothing that should derail financial planning. More concerning is the minimal earnings growth—just 3% over four years suggests graduates hit their salary ceiling quickly, unlike nursing programs where experience typically commands significant raises.

For Kansas families planning to stay in-state, this program works as a serviceable entry point to nursing, particularly if location or admission requirements make top performers like Pratt Community College ($70,680) less accessible. But families should recognize they're accepting a $5,000-$11,000 annual earnings gap compared to stronger Kansas programs, a difference that compounds significantly over a nursing career.