Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing at Maranatha Baptist University

Starting salaries of $70,760 for nursing graduates land below both state and national medians for BSN programs, though the estimated debt load of around $29,000 keeps the financial picture manageable. Similar nursing programs in Wisconsin typically saddle graduates with about $27,000 in debt, so Maranatha appears roughly aligned with state norms on borrowing. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.41 means graduates would owe about five months' salary—a reasonable starting point for a nursing career with clear advancement paths.

The earnings gap is worth noting: Maranatha's first-year figure trails the Wisconsin median by nearly $2,000 and sits well below what graduates from UW-Madison or the Herzing campuses report. In nursing, where salaries are often tethered to regional hospital systems and union contracts, this difference might reflect where graduates accept their first positions rather than their preparation. However, it could also signal that Maranatha's smaller program (the data was too limited for DOE reporting) may not have the same clinical partnerships or placement networks as larger schools.

For families prioritizing the faith-based environment at Maranatha, the financial trade-off isn't severe—you're looking at modest debt for a credential that leads to steady employment. But if maximizing early earnings matters, particularly for paying down loans quickly, the programs producing $75,000+ starting salaries deserve serious consideration, especially since several charge similar amounts to attend.