Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing at Tusculum University

Tusculum's nursing graduates start at $57,543—about $9,500 below Tennessee's median for nursing programs and more than $17,000 below the national benchmark. While that 40th percentile state ranking might sound middle-of-the-pack, it means 19 other Tennessee nursing programs deliver better earnings outcomes, including several public options like UT-Martin ($71,727) and University of Memphis ($73,680) that likely come with lower tuition for in-state students.

The debt load of $26,744 is reasonable and nearly identical to state and national averages, but the concerning pattern is virtually flat earnings growth—just a $529 increase over four years. Most nursing careers see meaningful salary progression as graduates gain experience and certifications, so this stagnation suggests either local market constraints or that graduates aren't advancing into higher-paying specialties. The 0.46 debt-to-earnings ratio isn't alarming on its own, but it's mediocre when paired with below-average starting salaries.

For families considering this program, the question is straightforward: Can you access a stronger Tennessee nursing program? Baptist Health Sciences University and UT schools deliver outcomes $14,000-16,000 higher annually while serving similar or more economically diverse student populations. That gap compounds to hundreds of thousands over a career. Unless location or transfer credits make Tusculum uniquely workable, Tennessee offers considerably better nursing value elsewhere.