Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing at University of Louisiana at Lafayette

The University of Louisiana at Lafayette's nursing program delivers strong initial earnings that outpace both national and state medians, but shows concerning negative growth over time. Graduates earn $80,416 in their first year—significantly above the national median of $74,888 and modestly better than Louisiana's median of $78,065. However, earnings actually decline to $74,756 by year four, representing a troubling 7% drop when most careers show growth.

With $27,000 in median debt, the debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.34 is quite manageable and matches national norms. The program ranks in the 73rd percentile nationally for earnings, though only the 60th percentile within Louisiana, where nursing programs tend to pay well. This suggests your child would do better than most nursing graduates nationwide but faces stiffer competition in-state—programs like Dillard ($86,585) and Chamberlain ($83,188) deliver notably higher starting salaries.

The earnings decline is the red flag here. While ULL offers decent value with reasonable debt and strong initial placement, the negative growth pattern suggests limited career advancement opportunities compared to peers. For a field typically known for steady income growth, this program appears to hit an early ceiling. Consider whether the significantly higher-paying Louisiana alternatives justify their potentially higher costs or admission requirements.