Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing at The College of Saint Scholastica

This nursing program delivers solid financial outcomes with notably manageable debt, though earnings plateau early and lag behind Minnesota's top performers. With first-year earnings of $75,499 and graduation debt of just $31,000 (a healthy 0.41 debt-to-earnings ratio), graduates enter a financially stable career path. The low debt load is particularly impressive—ranking in the 24th percentile nationally means most nursing programs saddle students with significantly more debt.

However, the program shows concerning stagnation with zero earnings growth from year one to year four, and it ranks in just the 40th percentile among Minnesota nursing programs. While earnings match the national median, they fall short of the state median ($75,577) and trail significantly behind top Minnesota programs like Walden ($88,877) and Capella ($85,426). The 94% admission rate suggests relatively easy entry, which could explain the middle-of-the-pack performance.

For families prioritizing debt management and career stability, this program offers a reasonable path to nursing with minimal financial stress. However, if maximizing earning potential is the goal, stronger Minnesota programs exist that could justify slightly higher debt loads for substantially better long-term compensation.