Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing at Texas A&M University-Texarkana

Texas A&M-Texarkana's nursing program produces graduates earning about $10,000 less than the typical Texas nursing graduate—landing at the 40th percentile statewide and just the 16th percentile nationally. The first-year earnings of $67,768 trail both the state median ($76,677) and national benchmark ($74,888) by meaningful margins. For context, several Texas programs place graduates earning in the $88,000-$95,000 range within their first year. The program does serve a predominantly working-class student body (51% receive Pell grants), but even accounting for that context, the earnings gap is substantial.

The financial picture isn't dire—the debt load of $28,663 remains manageable with a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.42, and earnings do grow 9% over four years to $73,633. However, that's still below what many new graduates earn elsewhere in Texas immediately after graduation.

The critical caveat: this data reflects fewer than 30 graduates, so these numbers may not represent typical outcomes. For an anxious parent, this suggests caution. If your child has admission to other Texas nursing programs—particularly flagship state schools or higher-performing regional options—those likely offer better earning potential. If TAMU-Texarkana is the accessible option due to location or admission certainty, understand you're likely trading $8,000-$20,000 in early-career earnings compared to stronger alternatives, though the degree will still lead to employable nursing credentials.