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

With first-year earnings of $68,001 and estimated debt around $23,425, this nursing program delivers a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.34—manageable by most standards and close to the national median for associate nursing programs. However, the earnings figure places graduates in the bottom half compared to other nursing programs both in South Carolina and nationally, suggesting this program doesn't quite match the earning power of its peers.

The debt estimate comes from examining 12 similar nursing programs across South Carolina's technical college system, where typical borrowing hovers near $24,649. That's slightly above the national median of $20,751 for associate nursing degrees. More concerning is how Northeastern's graduates appear to earn $1,200 to $4,000 less annually than those from comparable technical colleges like Tri-County or Greenville—a difference that compounds over a career.

For parents, the practical question is whether this particular path into nursing is worth it when stronger-performing options exist elsewhere in the state. The program clears the basic threshold of affordability, but the lower earnings relative to peer schools—combined with the fact we're working from estimated debt rather than actual figures—suggests exploring options at technical colleges with documented higher outcomes. If location or other factors make Northeastern the best choice, the fundamentals still work, just not as favorably as they could.