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

Northwest Technical College's nursing program graduates start strong with earnings of nearly $73,000—well above both the national and Minnesota medians for associate nursing programs. The debt load of about $31,000 translates to a manageable 0.43 ratio to first-year earnings, meaning graduates owe less than half their annual salary. Among Minnesota's 24 nursing programs, this one performs solidly at the 60th percentile, though it's not quite at the elite tier occupied by Minnesota West or Southeast.

The concerning pattern here is the earnings decline: four years out, median pay drops to $64,000, about a 12% decrease from the starting point. This is unusual for nursing, where experience typically commands higher pay. It could reflect shifts to part-time work, geographic moves to lower-cost areas, or career changes. While the immediate post-graduation prospects are quite good, this trajectory raises questions about long-term earnings stability.

For families evaluating this program, the first-year numbers are genuinely promising—you're looking at strong immediate earning power with debt that's well below the national average for nursing programs. Just understand that the typical graduate's salary path doesn't follow the steady upward climb you might expect in healthcare. If your student plans to work full-time in acute care settings long-term, they may buck this trend.