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

South University-Tampa's nursing program delivers solid earning potential but comes with a significant debt burden that sets it apart from other Florida options. Graduates earn $77,635 in their first year, placing the program in the 60th percentile among Florida nursing programs—a respectable middle-tier performance that exceeds both national and state medians by a few thousand dollars.

The major concern is the debt load. At $41,815, graduates carry nearly double the debt of typical Florida nursing students ($23,261) and significantly more than the national average ($27,000). This puts South University-Tampa in the 5th percentile nationally for debt—meaning 95% of nursing programs nationwide saddle students with less debt. While the debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.54 isn't catastrophic, it's notably higher than what you'd find at state schools or community colleges offering similar programs.

The earnings picture shows minimal growth over four years (just 1%), suggesting an "early peak" pattern where graduates quickly reach their earning ceiling. For comparison, Florida's top-performing nursing programs like Valencia College and Miami Dade College deliver similar or better earnings with substantially less debt. Unless your child has specific reasons to attend South University-Tampa, Florida's public institutions offer much better value propositions for nursing education.