Head-to-head comparison
Nightingale College vs Fortis College-Salt Lake City: which has better ROI?
Option A Salt Lake City, UT
Nightingale College
- Net price / year
- $30,852
- Earnings, 10 years
- $27,126
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Salt Lake City, UT
Fortis College-Salt Lake City
- Net price / year
- $27,586
- Earnings, 10 years
- $34,509
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Fortis College-Salt Lake City comes closer — median earnings $34,509 against a $55,172 total, vs $27,126 at Nightingale College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Nightingale College | Fortis College-Salt Lake City |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $30,852 | $27,586 |
| Total net cost | $123,408 | $55,172 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $27,126 | $34,509 |
| Median debt | $25,250 | $13,000 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$548,088 | -$332,192 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Nightingale College or Fortis College-Salt Lake City?
Fortis College-Salt Lake City, at $27,586 a year after aid versus $30,852 — a gap of $3,266 a year, or $68,236 across the full degree. These are net prices after grants and scholarships, not sticker prices, so they reflect what an aided student pays.
The short answer
Do Nightingale College or Fortis College-Salt Lake City graduates earn more?
Fortis College-Salt Lake City graduates report a median $34,509 ten years after entry, $7,383 more than the $27,126 at Nightingale College. Both are institution-wide medians from federal tax records, so a high-paying major at the lower school can beat the average at the higher one.
The short answer
Which leaves students with less debt, Nightingale College or Fortis College-Salt Lake City?
Fortis College-Salt Lake City: its completers carry a median $13,000 in federal loans versus $25,250 at Nightingale College, a difference of $12,250. The figure counts students who finished; it excludes private loans and anyone who left before graduating.
The short answer
Which graduates more of its students?
60% of students finish at Fortis College-Salt Lake City, against 21% at Nightingale College. Completion matters to the ROI arithmetic because a degree that is never finished still carries its cost and its debt, but earns none of the graduate premium above the $48,360 high-school baseline.