Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing at University of Mississippi

Ole Miss nursing graduates start with decent salaries around $69,000, but here's the catch: their earnings actually drop to $66,000 by year four. In Mississippi, where starting salaries for nursing BSNs already run about $5,000 below the national median, this program sits right at the state's midpoint—and well behind in-state alternatives like Alcorn State ($85,000) and Mississippi University for Women ($74,000). Nationally, Ole Miss nursing ranks in just the 22nd percentile for graduate earnings.

The program does offer one advantage: relatively low debt at $21,450, roughly $5,000 less than Mississippi's typical nursing program. That translates to a manageable debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.31, meaning graduates owe about four months' salary. The downside trajectory in earnings is puzzling for a field that typically rewards experience with steady pay increases, and it's worth investigating whether this reflects graduates leaving direct patient care or regional wage compression.

If your child can get into one of Mississippi's stronger nursing programs, the $15,000+ earnings premium at Alcorn State or MUW would be worth pursuing. Ole Miss nursing isn't a bad choice given the modest debt load, but the stagnant-to-declining salary pattern and middle-of-the-pack performance within Mississippi suggests you're paying for the flagship name without getting flagship outcomes. In a profession where location matters tremendously for wages, staying in Mississippi after graduation may limit earning potential regardless of which in-state school your child attends.