Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing at University of Mount Union

University of Mount Union's nursing program produces graduates earning $70,141 in their first year—roughly $4,700 below the national median and just slightly under Ohio's state median. While this places the program in the 40th percentile among Ohio nursing schools, it's worth noting that Ohio itself has competitive nursing programs, with top schools like Chamberlain and Kettering pushing first-year earnings above $79,000. The $27,000 in typical debt matches both state and national medians exactly, creating a manageable debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.38.

The real question here is opportunity cost. Your child would graduate with reasonable debt but earn less than peers at Ohio's stronger nursing programs. The $13,000 gap between Mount Union and Chamberlain University-Ohio compounds significantly over a career. Ohio University's regional campuses also outperform Mount Union by $5,000+ while likely offering similar accessibility given Mount Union's 80% admission rate.

For families prioritizing Mount Union's campus experience or specific location, the numbers work—nursing graduates here aren't underwater financially. But if maximizing nursing career earnings is the priority, several Ohio alternatives deliver better outcomes with comparable debt levels. This is a serviceable program that gets students to licensed nursing positions, just not at the higher end of Ohio's earning potential.