Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing at Ouachita Baptist University

With an estimated debt of $27,000 and first-year earnings around $70,000 suggested by Arkansas nursing programs, the basic financial math here looks manageable—that's a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.39, meaning graduates could theoretically pay off loans with less than half their annual salary. Similar nursing programs across Arkansas consistently produce strong employment outcomes, and the estimated figures for Ouachita Baptist align with what most in-state programs deliver.

The catch is where Ouachita Baptist sits in the Arkansas nursing landscape. Programs at larger public universities like UA Little Rock ($79,000) and Arkansas State ($73,000) show actual reported earnings that run $3,000 to $9,000 higher than what peer programs suggest for Ouachita Baptist. Given that this Baptist university charges private tuition rates while producing earnings estimates similar to the state average, families are essentially betting on smaller class sizes and mission-driven education rather than a financial edge. The nursing degree itself should lead to solid employment—Arkansas needs nurses—but you're not seeing a premium for the private school investment.

For families who value Ouachita Baptist's faith-based environment and can afford the tuition without excessive borrowing, the nursing program should deliver a stable career path. But if finances are tight, the larger public universities in Arkansas offer nursing programs with documented outcomes that may provide better value per tuition dollar spent.