Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing at Southern University Law Center

First-year earnings of $79,871 place this nursing program comfortably in the middle of Louisiana's range—notably ahead of the national median but trailing the state's top performers like Dillard and Chamberlain by several thousand dollars. However, it's crucial to understand that this program's debt figure is an estimate derived from other Southern University Law Center programs, as the nursing cohort was too small for the Department of Education to report actual graduate outcomes. The estimated $26,500 in borrowing would be slightly below typical Louisiana nursing debt, creating a manageable 0.33 debt-to-earnings ratio.

That sub-0.4 ratio suggests graduates could reasonably handle loan payments, though the estimation uncertainty matters here—if actual debt runs higher than peer programs suggest, the picture changes. What works in this program's favor is nursing's reliable employment market: Louisiana RNs consistently command solid starting salaries regardless of where they trained, and this program's earnings suggest graduates aren't being penalized in the job market despite attending a smaller program.

The practical takeaway: If your child has a clear commitment to nursing and this school fits logistically or financially, the estimated economics look workable. But before committing, contact the financial aid office directly to understand typical nursing student borrowing at this campus—those actual figures matter more than state-wide estimates and will determine whether this represents reasonable preparation for a stable career or an unnecessarily costly path into the same job market.