Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing at University of Wisconsin-Parkside

Wisconsin's nursing market offers relatively consistent outcomes, and data from comparable programs suggest UW-Parkside's BSN likely follows suit. Based on similar nursing programs across the state, graduates can expect first-year earnings around $72,500 against estimated debt of $25,000—a 0.35 debt-to-earnings ratio that puts this squarely in "manageable" territory. That debt level actually runs slightly below both the state and national median for nursing programs ($27,000), while earnings track closely with Wisconsin's typical outcomes for the field.

What matters here is that nursing credentials translate reliably into employment, and Wisconsin's nursing salaries cluster tightly—the top programs in the state show first-year earnings ranging from about $75,500 to $76,200, meaning peer programs suggest UW-Parkside graduates likely earn within a few thousand dollars of that range. The university's 73% admission rate and significant Pell grant population (34%) indicate it serves a broad student base without the earnings penalty sometimes seen at less selective schools in other fields.

The practical takeaway: nursing offers one of the clearest return-on-investment pathways among bachelor's degrees, and comparable Wisconsin programs point toward solid outcomes here. While we're working with estimates rather than school-specific data, the tight clustering of both debt and earnings across Wisconsin nursing programs suggests less variation than you'd find in many other fields. A sub-$30,000 debt load for a credential that typically generates $70,000+ in first-year earnings represents a workable financial foundation for launching a nursing career.