Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing at Northcentral Technical College

Northcentral Technical College's nursing program shows an unusual earnings pattern that deserves scrutiny: graduates earn $63,958 their first year out, then see their income drop to $55,009 by year four—a 14% decline when most nursing careers are gaining momentum. While the manageable $13,750 debt load makes this financially safer than most nursing programs, the earnings trajectory suggests something's off. This program ranks in the 40th percentile among Wisconsin's 22 associate nursing programs, landing well below stronger in-state options like Herzing University-Madison ($73,342) or even nearby Blackhawk Technical College ($69,492).

The modest debt means your child won't be crushed by payments, but the declining earnings raise questions about what happens after that first job. Are graduates struggling to advance? Taking part-time positions? The pattern is particularly puzzling given Wisconsin's generally strong nursing market. With a robust sample size of over 100 graduates, this isn't a data fluke—it reflects a real pattern.

For families focused on in-state options, this program won't lock your child into crippling debt, but it's clearly not delivering the career momentum that several other Wisconsin technical colleges achieve. Before committing, you'd want to understand why earnings drop rather than grow, especially when competitors show the opposite pattern.