Nursing at Doane University

Crete, NE · Private nonprofit · Bachelor's Degree · Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
73 /100
DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case)
73
Optimistic
73
Base Case
70
Pessimistic
Earnings $80,849/yr (7% vs median)
AI Risk High (39% exposed)
Job Market Very Large (292,500 openings/yr)
ROI 5.4x earnings multiple
Ranked #685 of 990 Registered Nursing & Nursing Administration programs

How AI Changes the Outlook

Three scenarios based on how aggressively AI disrupts the career paths available to Nursing graduates.

Optimistic
No Disruption
Base Case
Gradual AI
Pessimistic
Aggressive AI
10-Year Earnings $870K $867K $752K
Earnings Multiple 5.4x 5.4x 4.6x
Probability of Field Employment 87% 86% 64%
DegreeOutlook Score 73 73 70
4-Year Tuition (Sticker)
$161,964
4-Year Net Price (After Aid)
$112,284
31% less than sticker · See by income
Median Debt at Graduation
$20,180
3.0 months of Year 1 earnings
Reported Earnings (5 Year)
$80,193
Small cohort — data may not reflect typical outcomes

Program Analysis

Graduates earn $80,849/yr, edging above the $75,273 national average for Nursing — a modest premium that suggests solid regional demand.

At 5.4x the cost of in-state tuition, the ten-year earnings outlook represents a strong return. Not exceptional, but meaningfully positive.

AI risk is moderate — 39% task exposure — and the 13% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.

At $20,180 in median debt against $80,849 in first-year earnings, graduates can expect to clear their loan balance in under six months of full earnings.

At #685 out of 990 programs, Doane University's financial outcomes for Nursing trail the majority of peers. The value case depends on other factors.

About Doane University

Doane University has a 90% acceptance rate, making it broadly accessible, a smaller institution with 981 students in Crete, NE. Financial aid reduces the effective four-year cost to $112,284 — 31% less than the list price.

See all programs and financial aid at Doane University →

Top Career Paths

Nurse anesthetists $223,210/yr
Nurse practitioners $129,210/yr
Nurse midwives $128,790/yr
View all 6 career paths with salary ranges and AI risk →

Compare & Explore

Nursing at Other Schools

Other Majors at Doane University

Explore the Trade Alternative

Not every career requires a four-year degree. Trade programs in related fields can offer competitive salaries with a fraction of the student loan burden.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does Doane University's Nursing program score?
A score of 73/100 reflects decent absolute metrics, but Doane University trails the majority of Nursing programs on relative rankings. Context matters more than the raw number.
How vulnerable is Nursing to AI automation?
AI won't 'replace' Nursing careers outright, but it is likely to reduce the number of job openings. We model 39% task exposure, which compresses field employment probability in our scenarios.
Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research. See full methodology →