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

The debt picture here tells a story that deserves attention. An estimated $26,558 in loans for a nursing certificate sits notably above both the Massachusetts median ($19,152) and the national figure ($23,562) for similar programs. When comparable programs in the state are producing first-year earnings around $69,000, Regis College's estimated $66,398—drawn from national benchmarks—suggests graduates may face a slightly tougher financial start than peers at other Massachusetts nursing programs.

That debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.40 isn't alarming on its face; similar programs nationally hit that $66,000 mark in year-one earnings, which makes the debt manageable by standard measures. But Massachusetts nurses typically earn more right out of the gate, and the debt burden here is running higher than state norms. For a certificate program—generally meant to be a faster, more affordable pathway into nursing—you'd hope to see both lower debt and positioning closer to the state's stronger earnings benchmarks.

The practical question: Will your child earn enough to justify borrowing 40% more than typical Massachusetts nursing graduates? If they're committed to staying in the state's robust healthcare market, the answer is probably yes—Massachusetts pays nurses well. But given the sparse data and higher-than-state-average debt load, look hard at whether nearby programs might offer a clearer value proposition with reported outcomes and lower borrowing.