Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing at Northeastern Junior College

Northeastern Junior College's nursing program produces graduates earning nearly $69,000 within a year—essentially matching the national median—but lags behind other Colorado schools where the typical nursing graduate earns about $72,000. In a state with 15 nursing programs, this ranks in the 40th percentile, trailing community colleges like Morgan ($76,759) and Front Range ($76,014) by $7,000-8,000 annually. That gap compounds over a career.

The $23,625 in typical debt sits slightly above both state and national medians, though the 0.34 debt-to-earnings ratio remains manageable for a nursing career. Graduates can reasonably pay this back, but they're starting with both more debt and lower earnings than peers at comparable Colorado community colleges. For a program serving rural Sterling, the outcomes suggest adequate preparation but not competitive positioning within the state market.

Keep in mind these figures come from a small graduating class (under 30 students), which means they could fluctuate significantly year to year. If your student is committed to staying in rural Colorado, this program provides a viable path into nursing. But families should understand they're likely trading geographic convenience for modestly lower starting earnings compared to what Colorado's larger community college nursing programs deliver.