Alabama man's fiancé wants to take on $200K in student debt and go back to school before their wedding. Why The Ramsey Show says that's a bad idea

Nursing is undoubtedly an admirable profession, but taking on such a large amount of student debt could be a burden for young graduates. With this in mind, it’s important for aspiring nurses to consider the financial ramifications of their schooling before enrolling for the program.

Take Josh from Alabama, for example. As he explained to Dave Ramsey and George Kamel, hosts of The Ramsey Show, Josh’s fiancé is a nurse who wants to go back to school to become a certified registered nurse anesthetist. And while the couple is aware that her schooling will put them in debt, this particular program will require Josh and his fiancé to take on about $200,000 in student loans (3).

“Just curious if you think that would be a smart commitment for us to make as we’re starting a family,” said Josh.

Ramsey, however, wasted little time in shutting down the idea.

“You do know who you called, right?” Ramsey asked. “I mean, what do you expect us to say? We’ve never told anyone to go into debt in our lives, much less $200,000 one month after you’re getting married. That takes my breath away.”

‘Life doesn’t turn out exactly like your little plan’

As he explained on the show, Josh is banking on his fiancé’s potential future income as the two of them consider her return to school.

“The only bright side coming out of that is, right now, in her regular nurse job she probably makes close to $70,000 a year. Where, coming out of that [the certified registered nurse anesthetist program], she would make close to about $200,000 a year.”

However, Ramsey pointed out that life could easily get in the way of their plans, especially with Josh and his fiancé intending to start a family. For example, if his fiancé were to become a stay-at-home mother, the couple’s debt obligation could quickly become unmanageable.

“The assumption that it’s just going to happen automatically, without any complications, leaves out all the other variables in life,” said Ramsey. “That’s unwise.”

In order to make his point clear, Ramsey referenced a previous caller’s situation.

“The lady that called us about three weeks ago, who had just finished her medical degree,” said Ramsey. “It was not a nurse anesthetist, it was a different one. She had $250,000 in debt, and her first child has special needs and demanded that she go home and take care of her child.

“You know what she is? You know what that couple is? That couple is screwed,” said Ramsey. “Because life doesn’t turn out exactly like your little plan, ever.”

Student loans in the U.S.

According to the Education Data Initiative, student loan debt in the United States totals $1.814 trillion, with 42.5 million borrowers in total (4).

The average university student borrows $31,960 for a bachelor’s degree, but many Americans struggle to pay off their loans. In fact, 11.3% of federal student loans were delinquent as of the second financial quarter of 2025, while 1.61% of private student loans were in default as of Q1 2024.

Issues with paying off student loans can have ripple effects that can be detrimental to a person’s future financial goals. For example, the Federal Reserve found that student loan debt may be impacting homeownership rates (5), and with the average age of a first-time homebuyer now at a record-high of 38 years old, this could have a significant impact on the economy as a whole.

Furthermore, other studies have found that student debt may be responsible for younger couples deciding to delay marriage and start a family. Student debt can also limit how much younger Americans can save for retirement in the early years of their careers.

Deciding whether to take on student debt

With so many negative circumstances associated with student debt, it’s important to weigh the risks carefully before making the decision to take it on.

According to a 2021 survey conducted by The Harris Poll on behalf of CNBC, just 32% of older Millennials who took out student loans have paid them off entirely, which means 68% are still paying off their loans years later. Meanwhile, more than half (52%) of the Millennial respondents with student debt say their loans weren’t worth it (6).