Nursing at Rochester Community and Technical College

Rochester, MN · Public · Associate Degree · Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing

with a smaller student body of 3,122 in Rochester, MN.

Program Analysis

At $70,020/yr, Nursing graduates from Rochester Community and Technical College land near the $69,474 national average — neither a standout nor a red flag.

Every dollar of tuition returns an estimated 62.8x 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 9% gap from the optimistic case.

The median debt load of $18,145 represents less than half a year of starting salary — among the lightest debt-to-income ratios in vocational education.

Ranked #550 of 947 Nursing programs, Rochester Community and Technical College falls below the median. Stronger options exist, though cost and location may compensate.

Five-year earnings of $78,692 are relatively flat compared to the $70,020 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.

81 /100
TradeSchoolOutlook Score
75
Low End
81
Score
81
High End
Earnings $70,020/yr (1% vs median)
AI-Proof Moderate (61% shielded)
Job Market Very Large (292,500 openings/yr)

Earnings Overview

Projected 10-Year Earnings
$801K
3.0% annual growth
Earnings Multiple
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
$12,718
Median Debt at Graduation
$18,145
3.1 months of Year 1 earnings
Reported Earnings (5 Year)
$78,692
12% 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 Rochester Community and Technical 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 Rochester Community and Technical College's Nursing program score?
A score of 81/100 reflects decent absolute metrics, but Rochester Community and Technical College trails the majority of Nursing programs on relative rankings. Context matters more than the raw number.
Will AI affect Nursing careers?
AI exposure of 39% is a real factor. For Rochester Community and Technical College specifically, the gap between optimistic ($801,299) and pessimistic ($732,565) decade earnings reflects that uncertainty.
What's the typical debt for Nursing graduates from Rochester Community and Technical College?
Median debt of just $18,145 against $70,020/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?
There are 4 registered apprenticeships connected to Nursing occupations, such as Home Health Director and Long Term Care Nurse Management. The earn-while-you-learn model means no tuition debt and immediate income, though the training period is typically longer.
How many job openings are there for Nursing graduates?
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 →