Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing at Saint Johns River State College

Saint Johns River State College delivers something increasingly rare in nursing education: solid earnings with minimal debt burden. Graduates earn $79,275 in their first year—above both the national and Florida medians—while carrying just $16,729 in debt. That's less than half the typical debt load for Florida nursing programs and puts this in the 95th percentile nationally for low debt. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.21 means graduates could theoretically pay off their loans in about three months of work.

The earnings picture is respectable though not spectacular. At the 60th percentile among Florida nursing programs, Saint Johns River falls well behind community college powerhouses like Valencia College ($93,751) and Miami Dade College ($90,158). That $10,000-15,000 gap in first-year earnings is meaningful. However, the school's advantage lies in its cost structure—you're getting 75th percentile outcomes at bargain prices.

For families prioritizing affordability, particularly those who qualify for Pell grants, this represents an excellent entry point into nursing. You're trading some earning potential for financial security, emerging with a marketable degree and manageable debt that won't constrain your child's early career choices. The comparison that matters most isn't with the state's top earners—it's with nursing programs that saddle graduates with $30,000+ in debt for similar outcomes.