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Nursing at Ozarks Technical Community College

Springfield, MO · Public · Associate Degree · Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing

enrolling 8,194 students in Springfield, MO.

Program Analysis

Ozarks Technical Community College's Nursing program produces graduates earning $61,192/yr — within striking distance of the $69,474 national average for this trade.

Every dollar of tuition returns an estimated 76.5x in decade earnings — an exceptional ratio that places this among the highest-ROI Nursing programs nationally.

Some AI exposure exists in Nursing's career paths, with 39% of job tasks potentially affected. The pessimistic scenario still projects solid returns, with a 0% gap from the optimistic case.

Loan repayment is a non-issue here — $15,249 in median debt clears fast against $61,192 in annual earnings.

Ranked #551 of 947 Nursing programs, Ozarks Technical Community College falls below the median. Stronger options exist, though cost and location may compensate.

Five-year earnings of $62,947 are relatively flat compared to the $61,192 starting salary — typical of trades with stable but capped salary bands.

There are 4 registered apprenticeship pathways mapped to Nursing, including Home Health Director (median $117,960/yr). Apprenticeships offer an alternative route that combines paid work with structured training.

TradeSchoolOutlook Score

Low End

Score

High End

Earnings $61,192/yr (-12% vs median)

AI-Proof Moderate (61% shielded)

Job Market Very Large (292,500 openings/yr)

Earnings Overview

Projected 10-Year Earnings

$640K

1.0% annual growth

Earnings Multiple (In-State)

76.5x

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)

$8,368

Out-of-state: $13,744

Median Debt at Graduation

$15,249

3.0 months of Year 1 earnings

Reported Earnings (5 Year)

$62,947

3% 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

Nursing opens doors to multiple career tracks. Our pillar guide covers every mapped occupation with salary data and AI resilience ratings.

Read the full Nursing career guide →

Compare & Explore

Nursing Overview

Nursing at Other Schools

Other Majors at Ozarks Technical Community College

Trade Certificate vs. Bachelor's Degree

Weigh shorter time-to-career against higher earning ceilings. The numbers tell the story.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the TradeSchoolOutlook Score for Nursing at Ozarks Technical Community College?

A score of 81/100 reflects decent absolute metrics, but Ozarks Technical Community College trails the majority of Nursing programs on relative rankings. Context matters more than the raw number.

How vulnerable is Nursing to AI automation?

With 39% of typical job tasks exposed to AI, this is one of the higher-risk fields. Our pessimistic scenario projects $640,204 in decade earnings vs $640,204 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.

How affordable is Nursing at Ozarks Technical Community College?

Median debt of just $15,249 against $61,192/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.

Can I learn Nursing through an apprenticeship instead of Ozarks Technical Community College?

The DOL recognizes 4 apprenticeship pathways related to Nursing. For students weighing Ozarks Technical Community College's program cost against alternatives, apprenticeships offer zero-tuition entry with paid employment from day one.

Is there demand for Nursing workers?

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 →