Nursing: graduate earnings, debt, and careers
Registered nursing programs (CIP 51.38) at the associate, bachelor's, and graduate levels. Registered nurses must pass the NCLEX-RN and hold a state license.
Graduate earnings by credential level
| Credential | Programs | Graduates (recent year) | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Typical program median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Undergraduate certificate | 238 | 4,140 | $74,894 | $80,020 | $26,450 62 programs |
| Associate's degree | 1,202 | 85,232 | $75,149 | $80,813 | $20,599 963 programs |
| Bachelor's degree | 1,304 | 153,340 | $84,093 | $88,910 | $27,000 1046 programs |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 60 | 0 | $119,545 | $131,346 | $24,573 10 programs |
| Master's degree | 727 | 48,889 | $109,092 | $120,193 | Data unavailable |
| Doctoral degree | 413 | 4,171 | $134,383 | $138,131 | Data unavailable |
| Professional degree (JD, MD, and similar) | 373 | 9,590 | $121,988 | $133,099 | Data unavailable |
| Graduate certificate | 465 | 6,010 | $127,714 | $126,911 | Data unavailable |
National earnings are published by the Department of Education for each field and credential level Verified data. Typical program median debt is ConnectPrep's calculation: the median across programs of each program's median federal debt Calculated estimate. It covers federal loans only.
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, Most Recent Field of Study Data. Varies by measure; see measure definitions. Published October 15, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Undergraduate certificate programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rivier University NH · Private, nonprofit · 21 graduates measured | $135,586 | Data unavailable | $23,782 |
| Barry University FL · Private, nonprofit · 40 graduates measured | $131,133 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Xavier College School of Nursing CA · Private, for-profit · 22 graduates measured | $127,429 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Delaware County Community College PA · Public · 42 graduates measured | $120,063 | $115,091 | $27,125 |
| Cabrillo College CA · Public · 33 graduates measured | $107,167 | $122,830 | $16,500 |
| Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Erie-Behrend College PA · Public · 25 graduates measured | $95,718 | $108,264 | $27,000 |
| Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Scranton PA · Public · 25 graduates measured | $95,718 | $108,264 | $27,000 |
| Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Altoona PA · Public · 25 graduates measured | $95,718 | $108,264 | $27,000 |
| Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Fayette- Eberly PA · Public · 25 graduates measured | $95,718 | $108,264 | $27,000 |
| Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus PA · Public · 25 graduates measured | $95,718 | $108,264 | $27,000 |
| Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Mont Alto PA · Public · 25 graduates measured | $95,718 | $108,264 | $27,000 |
| Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Abington PA · Public · 25 graduates measured | $95,718 | $108,264 | $27,000 |
| Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Schuylkill PA · Public · 25 graduates measured | $95,718 | $108,264 | $27,000 |
| Pennsylvania State University-World Campus PA · Public · 25 graduates measured | $95,718 | $108,264 | $27,000 |
| Roxborough Memorial Hospital School of Nursing PA · Private, for-profit · 46 graduates measured | $94,300 | $95,875 | $29,500 |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Associate's degree programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Rosa Junior College CA · Public · 23 graduates measured | $144,949 | $118,471 | $16,072 |
| Columbia College CA · Public · 41 graduates measured | $135,014 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Modesto Junior College CA · Public · 26 graduates measured | $132,845 | $126,345 | $12,500 |
| City College of San Francisco CA · Public · 35 graduates measured | $132,732 | $97,305 | $19,000 |
| Carrington College-Sacramento CA · Private, for-profit · 79 graduates measured | $127,627 | $137,935 | $35,314 |
| Yuba College CA · Public · 31 graduates measured | $126,376 | $116,142 | $13,500 |
| American River College CA · Public · 44 graduates measured | $120,729 | $122,386 | $15,973 |
| Napa Valley College CA · Public · 20 graduates measured | $119,174 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Chabot College CA · Public · 22 graduates measured | $117,900 | $163,641 | Data unavailable |
| Merced College CA · Public · 58 graduates measured | $114,478 | $118,723 | $9,500 |
| Allan Hancock College CA · Public · 23 graduates measured | $110,306 | Data unavailable | $17,666 |
| Evergreen Valley College CA · Public · 40 graduates measured | $110,166 | $140,512 | Data unavailable |
| Shasta College CA · Public · 72 graduates measured | $110,101 | $106,707 | $14,375 |
| Sacramento City College CA · Public · 32 graduates measured | $107,620 | $123,978 | $10,750 |
| Santa Barbara City College CA · Public · 67 graduates measured | $107,260 | $101,616 | $19,122 |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Bachelor's degree programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco State University CA · Public · 201 graduates measured | $145,008 | $150,102 | $16,485 |
| Unitek College CA · Private, for-profit · 196 graduates measured | $143,152 | Data unavailable | $50,177 |
| California State University-East Bay CA · Public · 214 graduates measured | $139,123 | $150,921 | $22,991 |
| Samuel Merritt University CA · Private, nonprofit · 708 graduates measured | $138,536 | $148,193 | $25,937 |
| Sonoma State University CA · Public · 92 graduates measured | $134,423 | $143,886 | $24,985 |
| California State University-Sacramento CA · Public · 336 graduates measured | $132,168 | $129,960 | $13,500 |
| Dominican University of California CA · Private, nonprofit · 167 graduates measured | $128,516 | $149,622 | $27,000 |
| California State University-Monterey Bay CA · Public · 93 graduates measured | $127,203 | $134,489 | $15,125 |
| Pacific Union College CA · Private, nonprofit · 70 graduates measured | $126,952 | $140,542 | $33,334 |
| Gurnick Academy of Medical Arts CA · Private, for-profit · 65 graduates measured | $126,893 | Data unavailable | $36,298 |
| California State University-Stanislaus CA · Public · 176 graduates measured | $126,532 | $126,959 | $20,000 |
| Glendale Career College CA · Private, for-profit · 20 graduates measured | $122,955 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| North-West College-San Diego CA · Private, for-profit · 20 graduates measured | $122,955 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Iona University NY · Private, nonprofit · 50 graduates measured | $121,499 | Data unavailable | $27,000 |
| University of San Francisco CA · Private, nonprofit · 349 graduates measured | $120,438 | $143,356 | $25,250 |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Post-baccalaureate certificate programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Miami FL · Private, nonprofit · 35 graduates measured | $144,671 | Data unavailable | $26,656 |
| Florida State University FL · Public · 52 graduates measured | $134,238 | Data unavailable | $23,639 |
| Duke University NC · Private, nonprofit · 76 graduates measured | $122,097 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley TX · Public · 30 graduates measured | $78,382 | Data unavailable | $25,774 |
| Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science MN · Private, nonprofit · 21 graduates measured | $75,594 | Data unavailable | $27,000 |
| Ohio State University-Main Campus OH · Public · 41 graduates measured | $72,431 | Data unavailable | $27,000 |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Master's degree programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Albany Medical College NY · Private, nonprofit · 48 graduates measured | $265,024 | $248,309 | Data unavailable |
| University of New England ME · Private, nonprofit · 43 graduates measured | $253,529 | $221,022 | Data unavailable |
| Saint Mary's University of Minnesota MN · Private, nonprofit · 87 graduates measured | $249,362 | $240,586 | Data unavailable |
| Lourdes University OH · Private, nonprofit · 21 graduates measured | $248,960 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Gannon University PA · Private, nonprofit · 44 graduates measured | $237,113 | $197,954 | Data unavailable |
| Wake Forest University NC · Private, nonprofit · 20 graduates measured | $217,487 | $221,028 | Data unavailable |
| Texas Wesleyan University TX · Private, nonprofit · 139 graduates measured | $216,030 | $219,488 | Data unavailable |
| Florida State University FL · Public · 42 graduates measured | $208,064 | $162,329 | Data unavailable |
| The University of Tennessee-Knoxville TN · Public · 35 graduates measured | $205,436 | $120,482 | Data unavailable |
| Florida Gulf Coast University FL · Public · 37 graduates measured | $205,027 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| University of Scranton PA · Private, nonprofit · 39 graduates measured | $200,941 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Newman University KS · Private, nonprofit · 34 graduates measured | $188,757 | $231,867 | Data unavailable |
| Mount Saint Mary's University CA · Private, nonprofit · 19 graduates measured | $186,308 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Holy Names University · Private, nonprofit · 29 graduates measured | $181,971 | $182,849 | Data unavailable |
| California State University-East Bay CA · Public · 19 graduates measured | $176,801 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Doctoral degree programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Saint Francis-Fort Wayne IN · Private, nonprofit · 16 graduates measured | $256,609 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Oakland University MI · Public · 24 graduates measured | $255,893 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University LA · Private, nonprofit · 46 graduates measured | $254,012 | $228,735 | Data unavailable |
| Webster University MO · Private, nonprofit · 71 graduates measured | $249,071 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Central Connecticut State University CT · Public · 39 graduates measured | $248,196 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Millikin University IL · Private, nonprofit · 21 graduates measured | $247,470 | $324,655 | Data unavailable |
| Bryan College of Health Sciences NE · Private, nonprofit · 33 graduates measured | $241,269 | $222,935 | Data unavailable |
| Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science IL · Private, nonprofit · 62 graduates measured | $239,872 | $224,291 | Data unavailable |
| University of Scranton PA · Private, nonprofit · 21 graduates measured | $233,953 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Villanova University PA · Private, nonprofit · 37 graduates measured | $229,552 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science MN · Private, nonprofit · 47 graduates measured | $228,317 | $224,804 | Data unavailable |
| AdventHealth University FL · Private, nonprofit · 41 graduates measured | $226,218 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Mount Marty University SD · Private, nonprofit · 63 graduates measured | $224,939 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Virginia Commonwealth University VA · Public · 97 graduates measured | $222,972 | $206,527 | Data unavailable |
| Midwestern University-Downers Grove IL · Private, nonprofit · 48 graduates measured | $221,185 | $230,075 | Data unavailable |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Professional degree (JD, MD, and similar) programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northeastern University MA · Private, nonprofit · 28 graduates measured | $257,670 | $191,083 | Data unavailable |
| Northeastern University Professional Programs MA · Private, nonprofit · 28 graduates measured | $257,670 | $191,083 | Data unavailable |
| Baylor College of Medicine TX · Private, nonprofit · 28 graduates measured | $231,678 | $212,438 | Data unavailable |
| University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus PA · Public · 128 graduates measured | $189,833 | $155,798 | Data unavailable |
| University of New Mexico-Main Campus NM · Public · 22 graduates measured | $151,448 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| University of Kansas KS · Public · 100 graduates measured | $147,653 | $176,643 | Data unavailable |
| Touro University California CA · Private, nonprofit · 52 graduates measured | $144,838 | $137,825 | Data unavailable |
| Touro University Nevada NV · Private, nonprofit · 52 graduates measured | $144,838 | $137,825 | Data unavailable |
| Stony Brook University NY · Public · 18 graduates measured | $141,429 | $142,801 | Data unavailable |
| Vanderbilt University TN · Private, nonprofit · 79 graduates measured | $139,575 | $133,154 | Data unavailable |
| Oregon Health & Science University OR · Public · 85 graduates measured | $133,933 | $152,722 | Data unavailable |
| Sacred Heart University CT · Private, nonprofit · 46 graduates measured | $131,842 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| University of Maryland Baltimore MD · Public · 210 graduates measured | $131,344 | $150,997 | Data unavailable |
| Marquette University WI · Private, nonprofit · 29 graduates measured | $128,560 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Case Western Reserve University OH · Private, nonprofit · 22 graduates measured | $126,602 | $132,649 | Data unavailable |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Graduate certificate programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of California-San Francisco CA · Public · 49 graduates measured | $182,992 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Molloy University NY · Private, nonprofit · 30 graduates measured | $168,147 | $140,435 | Data unavailable |
| Pace University NY · Private, nonprofit · 40 graduates measured | $160,487 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| University of Pennsylvania PA · Private, nonprofit · 134 graduates measured | $158,865 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| National University CA · Private, nonprofit · 28 graduates measured | $151,215 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Rush University IL · Private, nonprofit · 19 graduates measured | $149,418 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| University of Saint Joseph CT · Private, nonprofit · 17 graduates measured | $145,184 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| University of Iowa IA · Public · 23 graduates measured | $142,107 | $127,420 | Data unavailable |
| Washburn University KS · Public · 46 graduates measured | $139,698 | $143,374 | Data unavailable |
| West Coast University-Texas TX · Private, for-profit · 37 graduates measured | $137,350 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| West Coast University-Anaheim-Orange County CA · Private, for-profit · 37 graduates measured | $137,350 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| West Coast University-Texas · Private, for-profit · 37 graduates measured | $137,350 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Winona State University MN · Public · 18 graduates measured | $135,453 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Johns Hopkins University MD · Private, nonprofit · 59 graduates measured | $134,412 | $142,460 | Data unavailable |
| University of Rochester NY · Private, nonprofit · 23 graduates measured | $134,143 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Careers linked to Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
| Occupation | Median wage, all workers | Change 2025 to 2035 | Typical entry education |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medical and health services managers | $123,860 | +24.2% | Bachelor's degree |
| Nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondary | $80,250 | +17.1% | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Registered nurses | $97,550 | +5.6% | Bachelor's degree |
| Nurse anesthetists | $236,590 | +9.7% | Master's degree |
| Nurse midwives | $134,040 | +11.5% | Master's degree |
| Nurse practitioners | $132,300 | +41.0% | Master's degree |
Occupations mapped to this field in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. Occupation wages describe all workers, not recent graduates.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics and U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 Crosswalk. CIP 2020 and SOC 2018 taxonomies. Published April 30, 2020. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, National. May 2025 reference period. Published April 30, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, Table 1.2: Occupational projections, 2025-35, and worker characteristics, 2025. Base year 2025, projected year 2035. Published August 27, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Detailed CIP codes in this field (23)
- 51.3801 Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse
- 51.3802 Nursing Administration
- 51.3803 Adult Health Nurse/Nursing
- 51.3804 Nurse Anesthetist
- 51.3805 Family Practice Nurse/Nursing
- 51.3806 Maternal/Child Health and Neonatal Nurse/Nursing
- 51.3807 Nurse Midwife/Nursing Midwifery
- 51.3808 Nursing Science
- 51.3809 Pediatric Nurse/Nursing
- 51.3810 Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse/Nursing
- 51.3811 Public Health/Community Nurse/Nursing
- 51.3812 Perioperative/Operating Room and Surgical Nurse/Nursing
- 51.3813 Clinical Nurse Specialist
- 51.3814 Critical Care Nursing
- 51.3815 Occupational and Environmental Health Nursing
- 51.3816 Emergency Room/Trauma Nursing
- 51.3818 Nursing Practice
- 51.3819 Palliative Care Nursing
- 51.3820 Clinical Nurse Leader
- 51.3821 Geriatric Nurse/Nursing
- 51.3822 Women's Health Nurse/Nursing
- 51.3824 Forensic Nursing
- 51.3899 Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing, Other
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