Program Analysis
Graduates earn $64,846/yr, roughly in line with the $75,273 national median for Nursing. The value proposition here depends on cost, not earnings.
At 5.4x the cost of in-state tuition, the ten-year earnings outlook represents a strong return. Not exceptional, but meaningfully positive.
AI risk is moderate — 39% task exposure — and the 9% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.
With first-year pay of $64,846 far exceeding the $21,000 median debt, the payback timeline is measured in months, not years.
At #799 out of 990 programs, Lenoir-Rhyne University's financial outcomes for Nursing trail the majority of peers. The value case depends on other factors.
Earnings growth is modest: $64,846 to $68,949 over five years (6% gain). This field may have a lower salary ceiling than high-growth professions.