Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing at University of Sioux Falls

University of Sioux Falls graduates start strong with first-year earnings of $70,622, but this advantage evaporates quickly—by year four, median earnings drop to $59,670, a 15% decline that's unusual for nursing. While the program ranks at the 60th percentile within South Dakota (essentially matching the state median), it falls to the 27th percentile nationally, trailing the national nursing median by over $5,000 in the first year. This earnings trajectory raises questions about whether graduates are leaving clinical positions, moving to part-time work, or facing other career challenges that undermine their initial momentum.

The debt picture offers some consolation: at $31,000, graduates owe only slightly above the state median and below the national benchmark, with a manageable debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.44 based on first-year income. However, that ratio becomes less favorable as earnings decline. When comparing within South Dakota's seven nursing programs, University of Sioux Falls sits middle-of-the-pack—Augustana and South Dakota State graduates earn roughly $2,000 more initially, though all South Dakota programs trail national averages.

For a student considering this program, the declining earnings pattern is the central concern. If staying in South Dakota, the debt load is reasonable and initial salaries are competitive locally, but investigate why earnings drop so sharply after graduation. This trend makes it difficult to recommend over neighboring programs with more stable career trajectories.