Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing at Notre Dame College

Notre Dame College's nursing program starts graduates roughly $10,000 below the national median for nursing BSNs, though it sits near the middle of Ohio's nursing programs. That 40th percentile state ranking suggests this isn't an outlier—many Ohio nursing programs cluster in this earnings range—but parents should note that top Ohio programs like Chamberlain and Kettering place graduates $13,000-$19,000 ahead right out of the gate. The debt load matches both state and national norms, creating a manageable 0.42 debt-to-earnings ratio, and salaries do grow to $70,000 by year four.

The small sample size here (under 30 graduates) means these numbers could shift significantly year to year, making this more of a cautious yellow light than a definitive red flag. What we can say: if your child attends, they're likely looking at starting salaries in the mid-$60,000s rather than the mid-$70,000s common at stronger Ohio programs. The debt is reasonable, but given nursing's typically strong earning potential, it's worth comparing financial aid packages carefully against schools where graduates earn $70,000+ from day one. For families who receive generous aid here, it could work; otherwise, several Ohio alternatives deliver noticeably better returns with similar debt.