Nursing at Central Oregon Community College

Bend, OR · Public · Associate Degree · Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing

a smaller institution with 3,577 students in Bend, OR.

Program Analysis

At $82,582 per year, Nursing graduates from Central Oregon Community College earn slightly above the $69,474 national median. The premium is real but not dramatic.

With a 92.0x return on tuition over ten years, the financial case for this program is compelling by virtually any measure.

The 5% difference between AI scenarios reflects partial automation exposure. Some Nursing career paths face changes, but the trade's physical demands provide a buffer.

The median debt load of $20,000 represents less than half a year of starting salary — among the lightest debt-to-income ratios in vocational education.

A #266 ranking among 947 Nursing programs places Central Oregon Community College in the middle-to-upper range. Solid, not exceptional.

The limited growth from $82,582 to $90,003 over five years suggests earnings in this trade plateau relatively early in one's career.

For students considering alternatives, 4 registered apprenticeship programs align with Nursing careers — offering paid training instead of tuition costs.

86 /100
TradeSchoolOutlook Score
80
Low End
86
Score
86
High End
Earnings $82,582/yr (19% vs median)
AI-Proof Moderate (61% shielded)
Job Market Very Large (292,500 openings/yr)

Earnings Overview

Projected 10-Year Earnings
$912K
2.2% annual growth
Earnings Multiple (In-State)
92.2x
10-year earnings ÷ tuition
Viable Career Paths
6 of 6
Occupations with strong AI resilience

Projected 10-Year Earnings

Based on actual graduate salary data and Bureau of Labor Statistics growth projections.

Program Tuition (In-State)
$9,882
Out-of-state: $26,370
Median Debt at Graduation
$20,000
2.9 months of Year 1 earnings
Reported Earnings (5 Year)
$90,003
9% growth from Year 1

Top Career Paths

Top career paths for Nursing graduates by median salary.

Career Path Median Salary Growth AI-ProofAI
Nurse anesthetists $223,210 +8.6% 83%
Nurse practitioners $129,210 +40.1% 52%
Nurse midwives $128,790 +11.1% 61%
Nurse anesthetists
$223,210
+8.6% growth 83% AI-proof
Nurse practitioners
$129,210
+40.1% growth 52% AI-proof
Nurse midwives
$128,790
+11.1% growth 61% AI-proof

View all 6 career paths with full salary data →

Nursing Career Guide

Explore what Nursing graduates do, from entry-level roles to long-term career paths across 947 programs nationwide.

Read the full Nursing career guide →

Compare & Explore

Nursing Overview

Nursing at Other Schools

Other Majors at Central Oregon Community College

How Does a Bachelor's Degree Compare?

Four-year programs take longer but may unlock different career trajectories. See the data.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does Central Oregon Community College's Nursing program score?
A score of 86/100 indicates strong financial outcomes. Central Oregon Community College's Nursing graduates fare well on earnings, job market size, and return on investment.
What's the AI risk for Nursing graduates from Central Oregon Community College?
With 39% of typical job tasks exposed to AI, this is one of the higher-risk fields. Our pessimistic scenario projects $863,990 in decade earnings vs $911,501 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.
What's the typical debt for Nursing graduates from Central Oregon Community College?
Median debt of just $20,000 against $82,582/yr in starting salary means graduates can clear their loans in under 3 months. This is one of the more affordable paths in our dataset.
What apprenticeship pathways exist for Nursing graduates?
If Central Oregon Community College's tuition gives you pause, consider that 4 DOL-registered apprenticeship pathways exist for Nursing. You'd earn while training, avoiding student debt entirely — though completion takes longer than a certificate program.
Will Nursing graduates from Central Oregon Community College find jobs?
The career paths mapped to Nursing have roughly 292,500 combined annual openings nationally, making this a very large job market. Demand is driven by an aging population and expanding healthcare access.
Data from College Scorecard, BLS, and AI resilience research. Methodology & sources →