Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing at Texas County Technical College

Something unexpected happens between the first and fourth year after graduation from this program. While comparable Missouri nursing programs suggest starting earnings around $63,200—roughly in line with the state median—this program's actual reported fourth-year earnings drop to $55,375. That's an $8,000 decline when most nursing careers should be moving upward, and it trails the top community college nursing programs in Missouri by more than $12,000.

The $27,044 in debt sits above both state and national benchmarks for associate-degree nursing programs, though the estimated debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.43 would be manageable if those first-year earnings held steady. The problem is that pattern of declining earnings. It could reflect graduates leaving the field, working reduced hours, or regional wage limitations in rural Missouri that peer programs closer to major hospital systems don't face. Whatever the cause, it makes the investment calculation trickier than the starting salary alone would suggest.

Given that 60% of students receive Pell grants and this program serves an open-admission population, the access it provides matters. But parents should press the school hard on why fourth-year earnings drop rather than rise, and whether graduates face placement challenges that affect long-term earning potential. If those later-year earnings reflect the actual trajectory, this program delivers less career momentum than the stronger nursing options at St. Charles or Saint Louis Community College.