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

Rockford University's nursing program starts at a respectable $70,940 in first-year earnings, but then does something unusual: earnings actually drop to $68,865 by year four. In a field where nurses typically gain salary ground through experience and specialization, this backward trajectory raises questions about career advancement opportunities or the types of nursing roles graduates are securing.

The program sits in the bottom half both nationally (29th percentile) and within Illinois (40th percentile), trailing state leaders like Chamberlain and Governors State by $12,000-$13,000 annually. That gap compounds over a career. The $30,500 debt load is manageable relative to first-year income—better than many nursing programs on that metric—but you're paying slightly above Illinois median debt for below-median outcomes. With 41 nursing programs in Illinois alone, several offer stronger earning potential at similar or lower debt levels.

The value calculation here hinges on opportunity cost. For families who can access programs like Benedictine or Saint Xavier, the earnings premium of $7,000-$9,000 per year justifies shopping around. Rockford serves its purpose as a moderately selective option with solid job placement, but the declining earnings pattern and middle-of-the-pack performance suggest this shouldn't be your first choice if alternatives are financially feasible.