Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing at Southwestern Oregon Community College

Southwestern Oregon Community College's nursing graduates earn well above the national average but lag behind most Oregon programs—a significant gap that matters if your child plans to work in-state. While first-year earnings of $75,458 beat 79% of nursing associate programs nationally, they fall to the 40th percentile among Oregon schools, where the state median sits at $83,747. That's an $8,000 annual difference that compounds over a career, and neighboring programs like Rogue Community College and Lane Community College are placing graduates into positions earning $15,000 more per year.

The debt picture is reasonable at $19,435, creating a manageable 0.26 debt-to-earnings ratio that graduates should clear within months. However, the flat earnings trajectory—just 1% growth from year one to year four—suggests graduates may be hitting their ceiling quickly, while the moderate sample size means these patterns could shift with future cohorts.

For families committed to the Coos Bay area, this program offers a solid entry into nursing with minimal debt burden. But if your child has flexibility on location, Oregon's stronger community college nursing programs deliver substantially higher starting salaries that could mean an extra $60,000 in earnings over just four years—worth the commute or relocation for many families.