Compare 24 Nursing Science. programs in Indiana. Average earnings: $64,934.
With top graduates earning $75,243, Nursing Science stands out as a field where program choice matters more than school name. The gap between the best and median programs exceeds $10K—proof that evaluating programs individually beats relying on institutional prestige across Indiana's 24 programs.
Purdue University Northwest's Nursing Science program leads with graduates earning $75,243, well above the state average of $64,934. Indiana Wesleyan University-Marion follows at $73,087, while Indiana University-East reaches $69,790. These outcomes demonstrate that program-specific factors drive success more than overall institutional rankings.
High earnings don't tell the whole story—debt burden matters. Indiana University-Kokomo graduates borrow $16,961 and face just a 5.1% payment burden, landing in the 'Excellent' category. That means loan payments take a minimal bite out of their post-grad income, with a debt-to-earnings ratio of just 0.25.
Highest program earnings: $75,243
Strong outcomes with 71% acceptance
5.1% payment burden | Excellent - payment under 8% of discretionary
9.0% family burden | Good - payment 8-12% of discretionary
| Rank | School | Program Earnings | Cohort Size | Student Debt | Student GPS | Parent Debt | Parent GPS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | $75,243 | 655 | $21,229 | Excellent | $14,984 | Good | |
| #2 | $73,087 | 398 | $24,250 | Excellent | $12,987 | Good | |
| #3 | Indiana University-EastPublic | $69,790 | 65 | $18,000 | Excellent | $13,042 | Good |
| #4 | $69,460 | 41 | $19,512 | Excellent | $19,094 | Manageable | |
| #5 | $69,455 | 71 | $19,684 | Excellent | $10,909 | Good | |
| #6 | $68,656 | 125 | $25,976 | Excellent | $18,705 | Manageable | |
| #7 | Valparaiso UniversityPrivate | $68,586 | 145 | $26,942 | Good | $28,500 | Manageable |
| #8 | $68,064 | 183 | $16,961 | Excellent | $11,210 | Good | |
| #9 | Saint Mary's CollegePrivate | $67,942 | 47 | $27,000 | Good | $48,565 | High |
| #10 | $67,061 | 166 | $19,500 | Excellent | $29,448 | Manageable | |
| #11 | Marian UniversityPrivate | $66,300 | 348 | $27,000 | Good | $24,800 | Manageable |
| #12 | University Of IndianapolisPrivate | $65,857 | 160 | $26,864 | Good | $23,490 | Manageable |
| #13 | $64,640 | 71 | $21,710 | Excellent | $12,000 | Good | |
| #14 | $64,405 | 90 | $21,355 | Excellent | $12,486 | Good | |
| #15 | Indiana State UniversityPublic | $64,077 | 201 | $24,000 | Excellent | $17,049 | Manageable |
| #16 | $64,054 | 202 | $20,105 | Excellent | $13,626 | Good | |
| #17 | $63,614 | 525 | $20,000 | Excellent | $17,205 | Manageable | |
| #18 | Anderson UniversityPrivate | $62,734 | 42 | $27,000 | Good | $29,048 | Challenging |
| #19 | $61,888 | 90 | $21,500 | Excellent | $12,362 | Manageable | |
| #20 | Ball State UniversityPublic | $61,062 | 142 | $23,250 | Good | $20,800 | Manageable |
| #21 | Bethel UniversityPrivate | $57,433 | 51 | $25,000 | Good | $15,256 | Manageable |
| #22 | Goshen CollegePrivate | $56,147 | 41 | $22,974 | Good | $17,610 | Manageable |
| #23 | University Of EvansvillePrivate | $55,964 | 25 | $24,606 | Good | $26,848 | Challenging |
| #24 | Huntington UniversityPrivate | $52,889 | 14 | $25,576 | Good | $24,974 | Challenging |
Our program rankings answer: "Which schools have the best outcomes for graduates of this specific major?"
Unlike traditional rankings that measure overall school quality, these rankings focus on program-level outcomes. A school that's #200 overall might have a top-10 nursing program — and that matters if you're studying nursing.
Data based on 2024-2025 Dept of Education reporting standards. Learn about our methodology →
