Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing at Sul Ross State University

Texas nursing programs show a wide range of outcomes, and while Sul Ross State's program lacks sufficient graduate numbers to report actual earnings, similar nursing bachelor's programs in the state suggest starting salaries around $77,000—putting it right at the state median. The estimated debt of $24,400 is actually below the typical $25,700 for Texas nursing programs, creating a manageable debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.32. For context, nursing graduates nationally earn about $75,000 in their first year, so comparable programs in Texas appear to track slightly above the national norm.

The uncertainty here cuts both ways. Sul Ross serves a predominantly Pell-eligible student body in a remote West Texas location, which could mean graduates either stay in rural areas (typically lower nursing salaries) or move to higher-paying urban markets. The top-performing Texas programs—mostly in Houston and Austin—report first-year earnings reaching $90,000 to $96,000, suggesting that location and employer networks matter significantly. Without actual outcome data, you're relying on statewide patterns that may not reflect this specific school's track record.

The estimated numbers suggest reasonable value: lower-than-average debt paired with solid projected earnings. But parents should verify where recent graduates actually work and what they earn, since the small cohort size that triggered data suppression means outcomes could vary considerably from these state-based estimates.