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

Utah Valley University's nursing program charges remarkably little debt—just $13,750, placing it in the 95th percentile nationally (meaning 95% of nursing programs saddle students with more)—but the earnings picture reveals why cost alone doesn't tell the whole story. Graduates earn $66,900 in their first year, which sounds reasonable until you realize this barely edges above Utah's median for nursing programs and sits in just the 12th percentile nationally. More concerning: earnings actually slip to $65,009 by year four, suggesting graduates may be hitting a ceiling in their roles or facing local market constraints that limit advancement.

The state comparison highlights the challenge here. While UVU performs at the 60th percentile among Utah nursing programs, the top programs in the state—Western Governors University, Arizona College, and Nightingale College—all produce graduates earning $79,000 to $86,000. That's a $13,000 to $20,000 annual difference that compounds significantly over a career. The low debt certainly helps (your child would owe half what the typical Utah nursing student pays), but nursing is unique in that employers often value BSN credentials equally regardless of where earned, making the earnings gap harder to justify.

For families prioritizing minimal debt above all else, this program delivers. But if your child can access one of Utah's higher-earning nursing programs—especially WGU's flexible online option at $85,861—the extra $8,600 in debt would likely pay for itself within the first year of work.