Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing at Tennessee Wesleyan University

Based on comparable nursing programs across Tennessee, this degree appears financially sound despite limited graduate-specific data. The estimated first-year earnings of $67,094 align exactly with Tennessee's median for nursing bachelor's programs, and the estimated $26,684 debt load produces a manageable 0.40 debt-to-earnings ratio. What's more telling is the actual reported four-year earnings figure of $54,500—substantially lower than the first-year estimate—which suggests either unusual career trajectories among Tennessee Wesleyan graduates or data quirks from the small sample size.

The estimated figures place this program in the middle of Tennessee's nursing landscape, where outcomes range from $71,000+ at schools like UT-Martin to above $80,000 at specialized programs like Galen and Strayer. Tennessee Wesleyan sits about $7,800 below the national median of $74,888 for nursing bachelor's degrees, which reflects the state's generally lower healthcare compensation rather than any programmatic weakness. The debt burden remains reasonable regardless—typical for nursing programs statewide and nationally.

For parents, the key question is why four-year earnings drop so significantly below first-year figures at this specific school. It could indicate graduates shifting to lower-paying specialties, reducing hours, or simply reflect data suppression issues. The estimated first-year numbers suggest solid entry-level prospects comparable to other Tennessee programs, but without more granular graduate data, you're accepting more uncertainty than you would at larger programs with published outcomes.