Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing at University of New Mexico-Valencia County Campus

Starting salaries above $71,000 with just $11,536 in debt make this nursing program financially accessible, but there's an important caveat about its standing in New Mexico. While graduates earn more than the national median for associate nursing programs, they're landing in the 40th percentile among New Mexico schools—meaning six out of ten nursing programs in the state deliver stronger initial earnings. The gap is real: top programs like Santa Fe Community College start their grads nearly $8,000 higher.

That said, the financial fundamentals work strongly in your child's favor. The debt load is exceptionally low—95th percentile nationally, meaning only 5% of nursing programs saddle students with less debt. With earnings growing 13% by year four to reach $80,785, the program demonstrates solid career trajectory even if it doesn't lead the pack initially. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.16 means your child could feasibly pay off loans in about two months of gross salary.

The catch: this data comes from a small graduating class, so these numbers might not be reliable year-to-year. If your child qualifies for programs like Santa Fe or NMSU-Dona Ana, the higher starting salaries could be worth pursuing. But if accessibility and proximity matter most, this remains a low-risk pathway into nursing with minimal debt burden—just not New Mexico's strongest option.