Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing at Park University

Park University's nursing program lands graduates squarely in the middle of Missouri's nursing market—ranking at the 40th percentile statewide—but trails significantly behind national benchmarks. First-year earnings of $66,013 fall nearly $9,000 short of the national median and about $3,000 below Missouri's typical nursing graduate. That gap matters: top Missouri programs like Chamberlain ($83,188) and Research College of Nursing ($75,705) demonstrate what's achievable in the same state with similar licensing requirements.

The debt picture offers some relief. At $34,094, graduates carry more than Missouri's typical nursing debt ($27,000), but the 0.52 debt-to-earnings ratio remains manageable—borrowers should be able to repay this within a reasonable timeframe. The bigger concern is opportunity cost: you're paying above-average debt for below-average outcomes in a field where credentials should matter less than performance once you're licensed as an RN.

For families considering Park, weigh this carefully against Missouri alternatives. If Park offers significant convenience advantages—location, scheduling flexibility, or substantially lower net cost after aid—it could work. But if you're choosing between comparable programs, several Missouri schools deliver materially stronger earnings outcomes for similar or lower debt. In nursing, that initial salary difference compounds over a career.