Registered Nursing & Nursing Administration at Northwestern Michigan College

Traverse City, MI · Public · Associate Degree · Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing

with a smaller student body of 2,668 in Traverse City, MI.

Program Analysis

First-year earnings of $64,122 track close to the $69,474 national median for Registered Nursing & Nursing Administration programs. This is a middle-of-the-road outcome on salary alone.

With a 62.9x return on tuition over ten years, the financial case for this program is compelling by virtually any measure.

The 0% difference between AI scenarios reflects partial automation exposure. Some Registered Nursing & Nursing Administration career paths face changes, but the trade's physical demands provide a buffer.

At $17,227 in median debt against $64,122 in first-year earnings, graduates can expect to clear their loan balance quickly — a hallmark of affordable trade programs.

A #586 ranking among 947 Registered Nursing & Nursing Administration programs places Northwestern Michigan College in the lower half. Price, proximity, and personal fit become the stronger arguments.

The limited growth from $64,122 to $66,994 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 Registered Nursing & Nursing Administration careers — offering paid training instead of tuition costs.

80 /100
TradeSchoolOutlook Score
75
Low End
80
Score
80
High End
Earnings $64,122/yr (-8% vs median)
AI-Proof Moderate (61% shielded)
Job Market Very Large (292,500 openings/yr)

Earnings Overview

Projected 10-Year Earnings
$674K
1.1% annual growth
Earnings Multiple (In-State)
63.0x
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)
$10,700
Out-of-state: $25,524
Median Debt at Graduation
$17,227
3.2 months of Year 1 earnings
Reported Earnings (5 Year)
$66,994
4% growth from Year 1

Top Career Paths

Top career paths for Registered Nursing & Nursing Administration 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 →

About Registered Nursing & Nursing Administration Careers

Your career begins on the front lines as a Registered Nurse. You’ll work in fast-paced hospitals or clinics, monitoring patient vitals on EKG machines, administering medications, and updating electronic health records. After gaining experience, your path can branch. You might pursue advanced clinical practice to become a Nurse Practitioner, where you’ll diagnose conditions, prescribe treatments, and manage your own patient caseload. Alternatively, you could move into leadership as a Health Services Manager, where your day involves managing staff schedules, overseeing budgets, and ensuring your department runs smoothly.

Read the full Registered Nursing & Nursing Administration career guide →

Compare & Explore

Registered Nursing & Nursing Administration Overview

Registered Nursing & Nursing Administration at Other Schools

Other Majors at Northwestern Michigan College

Considering a 4-Year Degree Instead?

Compare how bachelor's degree graduates fare on earnings, ROI, and AI resilience.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does a 80/100 TradeSchoolOutlook Score mean for Registered Nursing & Nursing Administration at Northwestern Michigan College?
At 80/100, the score looks reasonable — but Registered Nursing & Nursing Administration is a high-scoring trade overall. Compared to peers, this program's earnings and ROI fall below the median.
How vulnerable is Registered Nursing & Nursing Administration to AI automation?
With 39% of typical job tasks exposed to AI, this is one of the higher-risk fields. Our pessimistic scenario projects $670,858 in decade earnings vs $673,953 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.
What's the typical debt for Registered Nursing & Nursing Administration graduates from Northwestern Michigan College?
Median debt of just $17,227 against $64,122/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.
Are there apprenticeship options for Registered Nursing & Nursing Administration?
There are 4 registered apprenticeships connected to Registered Nursing & Nursing Administration occupations. The earn-while-you-learn model means no tuition debt and immediate income, though the training period is typically longer.
Is there demand for Registered Nursing & Nursing Administration workers?
The career paths mapped to Registered Nursing & Nursing Administration have roughly 292,500 combined annual openings nationally, making this a very large job market. Trade careers in this field benefit from consistent replacement demand as workers retire.
Data from College Scorecard, BLS, and AI resilience research. Methodology & sources →