Nursing at Harding University

Searcy, AR · Private nonprofit · Bachelor's Degree · Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
72 /100
DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case)
72
Optimistic
72
Base Case
70
Pessimistic
Earnings $69,743/yr (-7% vs median)
AI Risk High (39% exposed)
Job Market Very Large (292,500 openings/yr)
ROI 7.6x earnings multiple
Ranked #706 of 990 Registered Nursing & Nursing Administration programs

How AI Changes the Outlook

Three scenarios based on how aggressively AI disrupts the career paths available to Nursing graduates.

Optimistic
No Disruption
Base Case
Gradual AI
Pessimistic
Aggressive AI
10-Year Earnings $759K $757K $672K
Earnings Multiple 7.6x 7.6x 6.7x
Probability of Field Employment 87% 86% 64%
DegreeOutlook Score 72 72 70
4-Year Tuition (Sticker)
$99,552
4-Year Net Price (After Aid)
$82,316
17% less than sticker · See by income
Median Debt at Graduation
$29,000
5.0 months of Year 1 earnings
Reported Earnings (5 Year)
$69,427
Small cohort — data may not reflect typical outcomes

Program Analysis

First-year earnings of $69,743 track close to the $75,273 national median for Nursing programs. This is a middle-of-the-road outcome on salary alone.

The earnings-to-cost ratio of 7.6x signals a solid financial return — projected decade earnings comfortably exceed the tuition investment.

Some AI exposure exists in Nursing's typical career paths, with 39% of job tasks potentially affected. The pessimistic scenario still projects solid returns, with a 12% gap from the optimistic case.

At $29,000 in median debt against $69,743 in first-year earnings, graduates can expect to clear their loan balance in under six months of full earnings.

Ranked #706 of 990 Nursing programs, Harding University falls below the median. Stronger options exist, though cost and location may compensate.

About Harding University

Harding University has a 100% acceptance rate, making it broadly accessible, a smaller institution with 3,323 students in Searcy, AR.

See all programs and financial aid at Harding University →

Top Career Paths

Nurse anesthetists $223,210/yr
Nurse practitioners $129,210/yr
Nurse midwives $128,790/yr
View all 6 career paths with salary ranges and AI risk →

Compare & Explore

Nursing at Other Schools

Other Majors at Harding University

Consider the Trade Route?

Trade programs often mean less time in school, lower student debt, and hands-on career paths that tend to be more resilient to AI disruption.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Nursing at Harding University?
This program scores 72/100 — a respectable number in isolation, but it ranks in the bottom half of Nursing programs nationally. The field is competitive, and stronger options exist.
Will AI replace Nursing careers?
With 39% of typical job tasks exposed to AI, this is one of the higher-risk fields. Our pessimistic scenario projects $671,505 in decade earnings vs $759,222 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.
Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research. See full methodology →