ROI Major

Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research at L. E. Fletcher Technical Community College

LA · Associate's Degree · CIP 51.38

Apply Now Data: 2026 release

Executive Summary

Graduates with a Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research degree from L. E. Fletcher Technical Community College earn a median salary of $77,175 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in LA, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $83,613. The degree typically pays for itself in 4.5 years.

Quick Insights

Solid Investment

How this degree looks at a glance

A fast read on salary range, break-even speed, living-cost impact, and where graduates from this school usually land.

Salary Ranges

Starting Range

$62,818

Typical Career

$77,175

Top Performers

$97,899

Estimated break-even: 4.5 years.

Debt-to-Income Check

$515

Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment

Typical monthly pay is approximately $6,431. Most students can comfortably afford about a $515 monthly loan payment with this degree.

Comparison Bench

This degree earns 2.0x more than the average US high school graduate and 1.0x more than the average college graduate.

Purchasing Power Context

A dollar in Louisiana buys what costs $0.92 nationally.

Industry Breadcrumbs

Top industries for bachelor's graduates from this school: Health Care & Social Assistance, Manufacturing, Professional, Scientific & Technical Services.

Where Associate's Graduates from This School Work

Health Care & Social Assistance 28.7%
Manufacturing 12.1%
Professional, Scientific & Technical Services 7.8%

Institution-wide industry mix for graduates, 5 years after graduation. This is not major-specific. Source: Census PSEO Flows.

5-Year Median Salary — National Purchasing Power Equivalent

$83,613

Nominal: $77,175 in Louisiana (COL 92.3% of national avg) · 8.3% higher purchasing power

10-Year Earnings Curve

Break-Even Timeline

How long until cumulative earnings advantage exceeds total college investment (tuition + opportunity cost vs. entering workforce directly after high school).

4.5 years to break even
Graduation 15 years

Total Investment

$155,168

4yr tuition + 4yr opportunity cost

HS Graduate Baseline

$38,792/yr

BLS 2023 median, HS diploma

View Raw Data: Median Earnings by Year
Timeframe 25th Pct. Median (50th) 75th Pct.
1 Year After Graduation $58,363 $69,682 $78,574
5 Years After Graduation $62,818 $77,175 $97,899
10 Years After Graduation $51,223 $78,529 $101,595

Source: US Census Bureau Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO), 2025 release. Earnings shown for Bachelor's degree graduates (all cohorts combined).

How We Calculate Purchasing Power

The median salary of $77,175 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in LA, which has a cost-of-living index of 92.3% of the national average.

Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $77,175 × (1.0 ÷ 0.9230) = $83,613 National Average equivalent.

COL index source: BLS Regional Consumer Price Index & MIT Living Wage Project, 2023. Full methodology →

Career Verdict

Graduates of the Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, and Nursing Research programs at L. E. Fletcher Technical Community College can expect a solid earnings trajectory. The median earnings one year after graduation stand at $69,682, increasing to $77,175 after five years and reaching $78,529 after ten years. When adjusted for purchasing power, the five-year salary equivalent nationally is approximately $83,613.22, indicating that graduates maintain competitive earnings relative to the national average despite Louisiana's lower cost of living index.

The primary industries where graduates find employment are Health Care & Social Assistance, which accounts for nearly 60% of placements, alongside a notable presence in Manufacturing at 13.8%. Given the estimated break-even point of approximately 4.5 years compared to a high-school-only path, the return on investment for pursuing a nursing career at this institution appears favorable. Overall, the combination of strong earnings potential and substantial industry demand suggests a promising career outlook for graduates.

Compare with Another School

See how the Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research degree at L. E. Fletcher Technical Community College stacks up against another institution side-by-side.

Ready to apply?

Start your application for Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research at L. E. Fletcher Technical Community College.

Apply to L. E. Fletcher Technical Community College

Explore More

Other Degrees at L. E. Fletcher Technical Community College

Data sources: US Census Bureau Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO). Cost-of-living index: BLS Regional CPI & MIT Living Wage Project. Cost of attendance: IPEDS. For informational use only; data may be suppressed for small cohort sizes.