Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing at Toccoa Falls College

Toccoa Falls College's nursing program costs about the same as other Georgia programs but delivers substantially lower earnings—$64,949 in the first year compared to Georgia's median of $76,557. That's nearly $12,000 less annually than the typical Georgia nursing graduate earns, and it places this program in just the 25th percentile statewide. The gap widens further when you consider that nearby Georgia Highlands and East Georgia State graduates start at over $83,000.

The debt load itself isn't alarming at $27,628, but when paired with these below-market earnings, it creates a less favorable financial picture than most Georgia nursing programs. The 0.43 debt-to-earnings ratio is manageable, but only because nursing generally commands strong salaries—this program underperforms most alternatives your child could pursue in-state. Given that nursing is supposed to be one of the more financially reliable degrees, ranking in the 5th percentile nationally suggests something isn't working here.

If your child is set on Toccoa Falls for faith-based education or campus culture, understand they'll likely start their nursing career earning significantly less than peers at Georgia's public colleges. For a straight return-on-investment comparison, the state's community colleges and regional universities offer substantially better outcomes at similar or lower cost.