Nightingale College
Salt Lake City, Utah · Private For-Profit
ROI Score: 18/100 · Poor Value
Nightingale College is a Utah-based private for-profit nursing school with an ROI score of 18, the lowest in this batch and placing it firmly in the Poor Value tier. The institutional-level numbers are deeply troubling: completion rate of 20.6 percent, net price of $30,852 (with no separate published tuition figure), four-year total cost of $123,408, and median ten-year earnings of just $27,126. The earnings premium against the high-school baseline is negative 6.4 percent. The payback period registers as 999 years, meaning earnings never recoup cost in the model. Median debt is $25,250 with the debt-to-earnings ratio not reported. Repayment performance is weak too, with 45 percent making progress at five years and 63 percent at seven. The single bright spot in the data is at the program level: graduates who actually complete the Registered Nursing program report $79,449 first-year median earnings. The tension is that 80 percent of enrollees never get there. The institutional ROI score is being dragged by the non-completer outcomes, which are dire.
The data raises concerns about Nightingale College
These metrics fall below the thresholds most financial advisors recommend for a sound college investment. Review them carefully before committing.
- ROI Score18/100 - Poor Value tier (below 45). Most 4-year schools we track score 60 or higher.
- 6-year graduation rate20.6% - Well below the 60% national average. Non-completion is the fastest route to negative ROI.
- Payback period>50 years - Graduates earn at or near the level of high school completers — the cost may not recoup within a working career.
Nightingale College
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | N/A/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | N/A/yr |
| Average net price | $30,852/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $123,408 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $27,126 |
| Median earnings (6yr post-entry) | N/A |
| Median debt at graduation | $25,250 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $268 |
| Estimated payback period | >50 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 20.6% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 5,986 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The sticker price at Nightingale College is N/A/year. But sticker price isn't what most students pay. After grants, scholarships, and financial aid, the average student pays a net price of $30,852/year, or roughly $123,408 over four years.
That net price varies significantly by family income. The lowest-income families (under $30,000/year) pay an average of $28,472/year, while families earning over $110,000 pay $34,034/year.
The median graduate leaves with $25,250 in federal loan debt, translating to an estimated monthly payment of $268 on a standard 10-year repayment plan. Against median earnings of $27,126 ten years out, the debt-to-earnings ratio is N/A - (insufficient data to assess).
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after grants and scholarships, by income bracket.
| Family Income | Avg Net Price/Year |
|---|---|
| $0 - $30,000 | $28,472 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $29,914 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $31,759 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $32,986 |
| $110,001+ | $34,034 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families under $30,000 pay $28,472 in net price, the lowest tier but still extremely high in absolute terms. Over four years, a Pell-eligible student commits to approximately $114,000 in total cost. With a 20.6 percent completion rate, the expected outcome for low-income students is the worst combination: substantial debt, no credential, and ten-year earnings of $27,126 in the model. The math does not work at any reasonable expected value.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
Middle-income families pay $29,914 (the $30,001 to $48,000 tier) to $31,759 (the $48,001 to $75,000 tier). Net price barely varies across income, indicating very modest institutional aid. Four-year cost approaches $127,000 for middle-tier families. Same completion-rate problem applies. Middle-income families have substantially better options at Utah's public nursing programs and Salt Lake Community College.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families above $110,000 pay $34,034, with the $75,001 to $110,000 bracket at $32,986. The progression is normal in shape but the entire curve is in punishing territory. The flat price across income brackets means the school is not actually need-tested in any meaningful way. There is no income bracket at which the financial math defends choosing Nightingale over local public alternatives.
Earnings by Major
Top 1 most popular majors at Nightingale College with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing | $79,449 | - |
Earnings reflect median 4-year post-completion (or 1-year where 4-year unavailable). Grades based on debt-to-earnings ratio.
Program Analysis
Why these programs deliver their earnings outcomes.
Registered Nursing
Nursing is the sole program. Graduates who complete report $79,449 in first-year median earnings, a strong figure consistent with national RN compensation. Median debt and ROI grade are not reported. The fatal context is institutional: 534 graduates per year against the 20.6 percent completion rate implies that roughly 4 in 5 students who enroll do not finish. For the 1 in 5 who do, the earnings outcome is solid and recovers the financial commitment. For the 4 in 5 who do not, the outcome is $25,250 in median debt without an RN credential. Treat the program-level earnings figure as conditional on completing; the unconditional expected return is far worse.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Nat'l Avg |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | N/A | 52.0% |
| 3-year repayment | N/A | 62.0% |
| 5-year repayment | 44.9% | 68.0% |
| 7-year repayment | 63.0% | 72.0% |
Completion Rate
Admissions Snapshot
| Enrollment | 5,986 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 41.5% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $7,549 |
Admission rate is not reported in current Scorecard data, and the school does not publish SAT or ACT mid-ranges. As a private for-profit nursing program, admission is typically based on prerequisites, basic academic readiness, and ability to pay, with broad acceptance. The 20.6 percent completion rate is the more telling number: this is among the lowest completion rates in the entire dataset, signaling that the school admits students who frequently cannot or do not finish. Prospective students should treat this completion rate as the dominant signal regardless of admissions posture.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
Named peers include Eagle Gate College in Murray, Provo College, Los Angeles Film School, South University Savannah Online, and American Intercontinental University System. This is a peer cluster of for-profit and online career colleges, most of which post similarly weak completion and earnings outcomes. South University and American Intercontinental have faced their own ROI scrutiny. Provo College in Utah is the closest geographic and structural peer, with comparable price points and weak completion. Among for-profit nursing programs nationwide, Nightingale's 20.6 percent completion is at the bottom end.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nightingale College (this school) | 18 | $30,852 | $27,126 |
| Galen College of Nursing-Louisville | 64 | $18,540 | $61,480 |
| AdventHealth University | 63 | $30,135 | $72,282 |
| Cleveland University-Kansas City | 50 | $35,764 | $52,304 |
| Arizona College of Nursing-Tempe | 36 | $31,681 | $34,657 |
| Arizona College of Nursing-Las Vegas | 35 | $30,921 | $34,657 |
Who Thrives Here
Nightingale fits a narrow profile: a working adult who needs flexible online nursing instruction and has substantial existing healthcare experience or family support to complete an accelerated path. Pell rate is 41.5 percent. Enrollment is unusually high for a single nursing school at 5,986, reflecting national online reach. The realistic recommendation is to look hard at the 20.6 percent completion rate before enrolling: students who do not finish will carry $25,250 in median debt with no credential. For most students, a community-college ADN program followed by an RN-to-BSN bridge will deliver the same career outcome at a fraction of the cost and with better completion odds.
The Verdict: The Numbers Don't Add Up
The financial data raises serious concerns about Nightingale College. With a net cost of $30,852 per year and median graduate earnings of only $27,126 ten years out, the estimated payback period exceeds >50 years. For most students, the financial return does not justify the cost.
Areas of concern include weak earnings relative to cost and a 20.6% graduation rate and a long payback period.
Median debt of $25,250 against $27,126 in earnings is concerning. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.93 exceeds the commonly recommended threshold. Major choice is critical here.
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Data: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education)
Vintage: 2024-2025 · Last updated: 2026-03-25
Earnings reflect median outcomes for all federal financial aid recipients. Individual results vary by major, effort, and career path.