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

South University-Richmond's nursing program delivers solid earnings that exceed both national and Virginia medians, but comes with significantly higher debt that should give families pause. Graduates earn $77,635 in their first year—about $3,000 above the national average and $1,600 above Virginia's median. However, the program carries a hefty price tag with median debt of $41,815, which is 55% higher than the typical Virginia nursing program and substantially above the national median of $27,000.

The debt burden creates a meaningful financial challenge. While the debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.54 isn't catastrophic, it means graduates are carrying about $14,000 more debt than peers at other Virginia programs while earning only modestly more. More concerning is the flat earnings trajectory—income barely grows from year one to year four, suggesting limited advancement potential compared to other nursing programs. Among Virginia's 35 nursing programs, this one ranks in the 60th percentile for earnings but near the bottom for debt management.

For anxious parents, the math is straightforward: your child can likely find better value elsewhere in Virginia. Programs like Shenandoah University and Marymount University offer higher starting salaries, and many state programs provide similar earnings with significantly less debt. Unless there are compelling non-financial reasons to choose South University-Richmond, Virginia families have stronger nursing program options available.