Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing at Utah State University

Utah State's nursing associate program produces graduates earning notably less than both state and national peers—starting at $55,007 compared to Utah's $63,865 median. That $8,858 gap matters in a state where nursing programs at Snow College, Salt Lake Community College, and several private institutions all deliver stronger outcomes. While ranking at the 40th percentile within Utah might sound middle-of-the-pack, six other Utah nursing programs consistently outperform this one, including community colleges that typically cost less.

The debt load of $18,900 stays manageable with a 0.34 debt-to-earnings ratio, but that metric only looks reasonable because the program is inexpensive—not because the earnings are strong. Graduates do see 11% earnings growth by year four, reaching $61,151, yet this still trails the state median for first-year nursing graduates. Nationally, this program ranks in just the 5th percentile for nursing associate degrees, a striking underperformance given that nursing typically offers strong career stability.

For Utah families, this creates a difficult decision. If your child is set on USU for the campus experience or location, understand they'll likely start $8,000 behind peers from Salt Lake Community College while paying more for a four-year institution's overhead. The safer financial choice is exploring those higher-performing alternatives, especially the community college options that combine lower costs with better job market results.