Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College

Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College's nursing program starts graduates at a respectable $66,438, but then earnings unexpectedly drop to $57,674 by year four—a decline that's unusual in a field known for steady wage growth. While the program sits near Mississippi's median for nursing earnings, it trails stronger in-state options like Mississippi Delta ($74,925) and Southwest Mississippi ($70,513) by significant margins. At the 40th percentile statewide, this program lands squarely in the middle tier of Mississippi's nursing schools.

The debt load of $18,413 is manageable—slightly above the state median of $16,744 but well below the national figure—creating a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.28 that looks reasonable on paper. However, that calculation becomes less reassuring when you consider graduates are earning $9,000 less four years out than they were at graduation. The earnings decline suggests either job instability, part-time work patterns, or career path challenges that deserve investigation before committing.

For families seeking the best nursing education value in Mississippi, this program delivers decent access to the field without crushing debt, but several nearby community colleges consistently produce graduates with stronger long-term earnings. If your child can access those higher-performing programs, the difference of $7,000-$17,000 in annual earnings could be worth the exploration.