Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville

This nursing program presents a concerning earnings trajectory that should give parents pause. While graduates start with respectable salaries of $71,161, earnings actually decline to $67,825 by year four—a troubling 5% drop when most careers show growth. This places the program in just the 30th percentile nationally and 40th percentile among Illinois nursing programs, meaning 60-70% of comparable programs produce better-earning graduates.

The debt picture offers some relief, with graduates owing $23,043—about $4,000 less than both state and national medians. However, this advantage is undermined by the below-average earnings potential. Looking at Illinois specifically, top nursing programs like Chamberlain ($83,188) and Governors State ($80,391) produce graduates earning $12,000-16,000 more annually, which compounds to substantial lifetime income differences.

The declining earnings pattern is particularly worrying for a profession that typically shows steady career growth. While nursing remains a stable field with good job prospects, this program appears to underperform its peers significantly. Given that Illinois has 41 nursing programs to choose from, parents should seriously consider higher-performing alternatives that offer both better starting salaries and positive earnings growth trajectories.