Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing at Nicolet Area Technical College

Nicolet's nursing program sits right at Wisconsin's median for earnings but trails the state's strongest technical college programs by roughly $4,000-$8,000 annually. More concerning is the earnings trajectory: graduates see incomes drop from $65,071 to $60,086 between years one and four. This backward slide is unusual in nursing, where experience typically commands higher pay, and may reflect the realities of working in rural northern Wisconsin's smaller healthcare facilities.

The program does offer one clear advantage: relatively modest debt at $16,837, though even this falls slightly above the state median. At a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.26, graduates can realistically manage payments, but they're earning less than peers at schools like Blackhawk Technical College or Milwaukee Area Technical College—who start with similar debt loads but pull ahead by $4,000-$9,000 in annual income.

For students committed to staying in the Rhinelander area, this program provides an affordable entry into nursing with manageable debt. But if your child has flexibility about location, the stronger technical colleges in southern Wisconsin deliver measurably better financial outcomes. The earnings decline after graduation suggests advancement opportunities may be limited locally, something worth investigating through the school's job placement office.