Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing at Siena Heights University

Siena Heights nursing graduates start strong at nearly $78,000—comfortably above both Michigan's median ($74,851) and the national average—but something shifts dramatically after year one. By year four, median earnings drop to $68,739, an 11% decline that's unusual in a profession known for steady income growth. This inverted trajectory suggests graduates may be starting in higher-paying acute care settings but then transitioning to different nursing roles or work arrangements.

The financial fundamentals are solid: $27,000 in debt translates to a manageable 0.35 ratio against first-year earnings, right at the national median for nursing programs. Graduating in Michigan's 60th percentile means Siena Heights performs better than most state nursing programs, though it trails top performers like Chamberlain ($83,188) and University of Michigan-Flint ($80,029) by $5,000-$10,000 annually.

The key question is whether that strong initial salary compensates for the downward trend. If your child values the immediate earning power—perhaps to aggressively pay down loans in year one—this program delivers. But the earnings decline warrants a conversation about career planning. Understanding why incomes drop (shift work preferences, specialty changes, geographic moves) would help determine if this pattern aligns with your family's long-term financial goals. For students committed to traditional hospital nursing careers, programs with more stable trajectories might offer better value.