Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing at Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico-Ponce

The dramatic earnings jump—from barely above poverty level to $32,000 within four years—tells a complicated story about Puerto Rico's nursing market and this program's placement in it. While $32,000 sounds modest by mainland standards, it actually places graduates above the median for Puerto Rico nursing programs ($16,742), ranking in the 25th percentile statewide. The real concern isn't the destination salary but the journey: that $12,000 first-year figure suggests many graduates aren't immediately finding nursing positions, possibly working as nursing assistants or in non-nursing roles while obtaining licensure or searching for RN positions.

The $19,000 debt load creates a precarious first year—158% of those initial earnings—but becomes more manageable as income grows. Compared to other Puerto Rico nursing programs with a median debt of just $9,250, this program asks students to borrow roughly double, which matters when you're navigating a challenging first year in the job market. For context, top Puerto Rico programs like Universidad del Sagrado Corazon see graduates earning $36,836 within four years.

This program works if you understand it as an investment with delayed returns in a constrained market. The four-year trajectory shows graduates do find nursing work eventually, but families need realistic expectations about that difficult first year and a financial cushion to weather it.