Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing at Mount St. Joseph University

Mount St. Joseph's nursing program sits in an awkward middle ground: while the $28,000 debt load is entirely manageable at 41% of first-year earnings, the earnings themselves lag behind most Ohio programs. At $68,015 initially, graduates earn less than the state median of $70,327 and fall in just the 40th percentile among the 66 nursing programs across Ohio. More concerning, earnings dip to $65,775 by year four—when nursing salaries typically climb as experience accrues.

The numbers become clearer when you look at alternatives within driving distance. Cincinnati-area programs like Galen College produce graduates earning $76,234, while Chamberlain grads across Ohio start at $83,188. That's a $15,000+ annual difference that compounds significantly over a career. For a private university charging enough to generate $28,000 in debt, these outcomes fall short of what families should expect.

The relatively low debt prevents this from being a disaster, and the 40th percentile state ranking means half of Ohio programs perform worse. But with dozens of nursing options in Ohio—many at lower-cost public universities—there's little reason to choose a program where earnings decline rather than grow and where graduates start behind their peers. Unless Mount St. Joseph offers unique circumstances like location or transfer credits that save time and money, Ohio families have stronger options.