Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing at Neosho County Community College

Neosho County Community College's nursing program lands right at the Kansas median for earnings—$61,906 versus the state's $62,370—but trails the national average by roughly $6,500. That gap matters: graduates here sit in just the 16th percentile nationally, meaning 84% of comparable nursing programs produce higher first-year earnings. Within Kansas, it's mid-pack at the 40th percentile, falling behind community college peers like Pratt ($70,680) and Labette ($66,833) by nearly $9,000 annually.

The debt picture offers some relief. At $17,877, graduates owe about $3,400 less than the Kansas median, yielding a manageable debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.29—easily repayable on a nurse's salary. Earnings also hold steady through year four rather than declining, which suggests stable career placement even if the starting point is lower. With a moderate sample size, these numbers reflect consistent outcomes rather than outliers.

For families prioritizing affordability over maximum earnings, this program delivers nursing credentials without crushing debt. But if your child could access one of Kansas's higher-paying programs—particularly Pratt or Labette—the $8,000-10,000 annual earnings difference would compound significantly over a career. The trade-off is straightforward: lower cost of entry versus thousands less in annual income from day one.