Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing at Tidewater Community College

Tidewater Community College graduates with nursing associate degrees start strong at nearly $70,000, but face an unusual earnings dip by year four—dropping to $67,522 instead of climbing. While this slight decline might reflect career transitions or regional healthcare employment patterns, it's worth noting that stronger Virginia programs like Southside College and Northern Virginia Community College maintain higher trajectories.

The debt picture is reasonable but not exceptional. At $22,288, graduates carry slightly more than both state and national medians for nursing programs, though the 0.32 debt-to-earnings ratio means most new nurses can manage these loans comfortably on their starting salaries. Ranking at the 60th percentile among Virginia nursing programs suggests Tidewater sits solidly in the middle tier—adequate outcomes, but not matching the premium performance of the state's top community college nursing programs.

For Virginia families seeking nursing credentials, this program works as an affordable entry point into a stable profession. Starting salaries clear $69,000 with manageable debt, giving graduates immediate financial independence. However, if your student can access Northern Virginia Community College or Southside College, those programs deliver $3,000-$6,000 higher earnings with similar or lower debt loads. Tidewater makes sense for Norfolk-area students prioritizing convenience and in-district tuition, but it's not the state's strongest value proposition for nursing education.