Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing at Pomeroy College of Nursing at Crouse Hospital

For an associate degree in nursing, carrying an estimated $26,623 in debt against first-year earnings around $73,415 creates a manageable 0.36 debt-to-earnings ratio—meaning graduates from comparable New York nursing programs typically earn enough to handle their loans without financial strain. These figures, drawn from peer nursing programs across the state since Crouse's specific outcomes aren't publicly reported, suggest a solid foundation for entering a profession with consistent demand and clear salary progression.

What's harder to assess is whether Crouse's program matches the performance of New York's strongest nursing schools. The top ADN programs in the state—Cochran, CUNY Hostos, Swedish Institute—regularly place graduates into positions earning $90,000 to $102,000 in their first year, substantially above the state median this estimate is based on. Without knowing where Crouse falls in that range, you're making an investment with less visibility than you'd have at schools with published outcomes.

The fundamentals work: nursing offers reliable employment and the estimated debt load is reasonable relative to typical starting salaries. But if your child has admission offers from programs with transparent outcome data showing stronger earnings, particularly those top-performing schools, those would provide more certainty about return on investment. The 40% admission rate suggests Crouse is selective enough to maintain quality, but you're essentially trusting that selectivity translates to outcomes you can't yet verify.