Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing at South University-Montgomery

South University-Montgomery's nursing program delivers strong early career earnings that significantly outperform both state and national benchmarks, but comes with notably higher debt than typical nursing programs. Graduates earn a median $77,635 in their first year—ranking in the 60th percentile among Alabama nursing programs and 61st percentile nationally. This places them ahead of major state universities like Alabama ($73,000) and Auburn Montgomery ($69,625), and well above the Alabama median of $67,120.

However, the program's debt burden is concerning. At $41,815, graduates carry substantially more debt than the national median of $27,000 and Alabama's median of $25,750. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.54 is manageable but higher than ideal for nursing, where lower debt loads are common. More troubling is the minimal earnings growth—just 1% from year one to year four—suggesting graduates may hit an early plateau rather than building on their strong starting salaries.

Despite the debt concerns, this program offers a clear value proposition: immediate access to well-paying nursing careers that exceed state and national averages. With 70% of students receiving Pell grants, the program serves a population that benefits from these strong early earnings. The higher debt is a trade-off worth considering, especially given the program's track record of placing graduates in higher-paying positions than most Alabama competitors.