Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing at Pierce College District

Similar nursing programs across Washington suggest Pierce College District's associate degree could lead to first-year earnings around $79,000, but there's an unusual pattern here that warrants scrutiny. By year four, earnings drop to $61,348—a decline of nearly $18,000 that runs counter to typical career progression. This could signal graduates moving into lower-paying specialties, reducing hours, or leaving the field entirely.

The estimated $18,200 in debt sits below both national and state medians for nursing programs, creating a manageable 0.23 debt-to-earnings ratio based on that first-year estimate. Washington's nursing market is strong—comparable programs at nearby schools like Highline and Olympic College report graduates earning in the mid-$80,000s. However, those figures come from actual data, while Pierce's are extrapolated from peer schools due to small graduate sample sizes.

This backwards earnings trajectory is the real concern. Most nursing graduates see steady income growth as they gain experience, not a $18,000 drop by year four. Before committing, dig into why Pierce's outcomes differ so dramatically between year one and year four—whether that's actual graduate tracking or an artifact of limited data. The debt load is reasonable for nursing, but only if those early earnings hold steady rather than erode.