Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing at Vincennes University

Vincennes University's nursing program launches graduates into solid starting salaries—$60,857 after one year, with manageable debt at around $20,000. But there's a troubling pattern here: instead of the steady income growth most parents expect, earnings actually drop to $55,745 by year four. While graduates rank at the 40th percentile among Indiana nursing programs (slightly below the state median of $65,738), they're landing in just the 12th percentile nationally, suggesting Indiana's nursing market may lag behind other states overall.

The debt situation offers some relief—significantly lower than Indiana's typical nursing program debt of $34,290. That means graduates here borrow about $14,000 less than peers at other in-state programs while earning roughly comparable first-year salaries. However, when you consider that top-performing programs like Fortis College-Indianapolis achieve $66,396 starting salaries with their graduates, the earnings gap becomes more concerning, especially as it widens rather than closes over time.

For an anxious parent, the calculation is straightforward: this program gets your child into nursing without crushing debt, which matters. But you're looking at below-average earnings that decrease with experience—the opposite of what you want to see. If your child is accepted at Ivy Tech or other Indiana alternatives, compare those debt-to-earnings ratios carefully. This might work as a backup option, but it shouldn't be the first choice if stronger Indiana programs are accessible.