New Independent Report Finds For-Profit Nursing Programs Deliver Strong Outcomes at Lower Taxpayer Cost

February 2026. A newly released independent research study confirms that for-profit nursing programs deliver strong student outcomes while costing taxpayers significantly less than comparable public and nonprofit programs.

The report, Costs and Other Aspects of Nursing Education Models: A Multifactorial Comparison of For-Profit and Public/Nonprofit Training Programs, was authored by Dr. Bruce Kellison and Dr. Matt Kammer-Kerwick of the Bureau of Business Research at The University of Texas at Austin.

The study evaluates Registered Nurse (RN) and Practical Nurse (PN) programs across sectors using federal data, institutional interviews, and survey data from recent graduates.

Key Findings

• RN Programs: Average taxpayer cost of $4,775 per student at for-profit institutions compared to $14,482 at public and nonprofit institutions.
• PN Programs: Average taxpayer cost of $7,150 per student at for-profit institutions compared to $13,668 at public and nonprofit institutions.
• Median earnings for RN graduates are similar across sectors.
• Median earnings for graduates of for-profit PN programs are in some cases higher than those of public and nonprofit institutions.

The findings indicate that for-profit institutions cost taxpayers roughly 50 percent less per student while producing comparable workforce outcomes.

“Not only do these for-profit nursing programs cost taxpayers significantly less, but the research also showed that students completing these programs had remarkably similar outcomes to their public and nonprofit counterparts. The researchers cite two studies which show that students at for-profit career colleges are more likely to complete their credentials than students who enroll in public community colleges.”

— Career Education Colleges and Universities (CECU), in reference to the UT Austin Bureau of Business Research report

Meeting National Nursing Demand

The report further notes that public and nonprofit institutions alone cannot meet national demand for nursing education. As the United States continues to face nursing shortages, career-focused colleges play a critical role in expanding access to training.

This research contributes to ongoing national conversations regarding higher education funding models, workforce development, and healthcare capacity.

Access the Study

Report Title: Costs and Other Aspects of Nursing Education Models: A Multifactorial Comparison of For-Profit and Public/Nonprofit Training Programs
Authors: Dr. Bruce Kellison and Dr. Matt Kammer-Kerwick
Institution: Bureau of Business Research, The University of Texas at Austin

Read the summary on the CECU website: New Report: For-Profit Nursing Programs Deliver Strong Outcomes at Lower Taxpayer Cost

Read/download the full report (PDF): Costs and Other Aspects of Nursing Education Models: A Multifactorial Comparison of For-Profit and Public/Nonprofit Training Programs