Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing at McNeese State University

McNeese State's nursing program shows an unusual earnings pattern that deserves close attention: graduates start strong at $77,239—above the national median—but see their pay drop 14% by year four to $66,112. While that first-year number looks competitive nationally (60th percentile), it falls below Louisiana's median of $78,065, placing this program in the bottom half among the state's 20 nursing programs. Top Louisiana nursing programs like Dillard ($86,585) and Chamberlain ($83,188) maintain substantially higher earnings, and even mid-tier options like UL Lafayette start graduates at $80,416.

The debt load of $26,100 is manageable relative to that strong first-year salary—you're looking at about a third of annual earnings. But that favorable ratio deteriorates as earnings decline in subsequent years, a pattern that's atypical for nursing careers which usually see steady growth. The cause could be anything from job market conditions in Lake Charles to graduates leaving direct patient care, but with a robust sample size, this trend appears reliable rather than statistical noise.

For Louisiana families, this is a serviceable but not standout option. Your child would enter the workforce earning less than peers at most in-state alternatives, and that gap appears to widen rather than close over time. If you're paying in-state tuition, it gets the job done with reasonable debt, but higher-performing programs exist at comparable public universities across Louisiana.