Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing at Ozarka College

Ozarka College's nursing program generates surprisingly affordable credentials—graduates carry just $12,339 in debt compared to $18,375 statewide—but there's a significant earnings tradeoff. At $60,148 in first-year earnings, this program ranks in just the 5th percentile nationally and lands at the state median (40th percentile), falling roughly $10,000 behind Arkansas's top nursing programs and about $8,000 below the state average.

The debt situation looks exceptional on paper: graduates here borrow about half what other Arkansas nursing students typically carry, creating a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.21 that most programs would envy. For families concerned primarily about minimizing educational debt, this represents a genuine advantage. However, the earnings gap compounds over time—even after four years, graduates average $63,406, still trailing the first-year earnings at several competing Arkansas programs.

The critical caveat: this data comes from fewer than 30 graduates, making these figures less reliable than programs with larger samples. For a family prioritizing affordability above all else, Ozarka delivers a low-debt path to licensure. But if maximizing earning potential matters—and that $10,000 annual difference adds up to roughly $400,000 over a 40-year career—Arkansas State Newport or Phillips Community College warrant serious consideration despite higher upfront borrowing.