Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing: is this undergraduate certificate or diploma worth it?
National picture across 69 reporting college programs.
Personal baseline needed
$80,951 in median year-4 earnings
A credible return for this credential must start with what the student would otherwise earn. The federal data does not provide that personal baseline.
$80,951Median year-4 earnings
$17,251Average institution net-price context
$24,750Median federal debt
Observed national outcomes
$80,951Median reported earnings · year 4
$72,679Average reported earnings · year 5
$24,750Median federal debt
90thYear-4 earnings percentile at this credential
69Reporting programs
63With year-4 earnings
The same field can produce a different equation.
Keep the federal field fixed and compare observed outcomes at every reportable credential level. These are separate graduate cohorts—not a promise that more schooling causes the difference.
CURRENT VIEW
Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma
- Year-4 earnings
- $80,951
- Federal debt
- $24,750
- Reporting programs
- 69
Associate's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $79,954
- Federal debt
- $20,838
- Reporting programs
- 1,032
Bachelor's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $86,259
- Federal debt
- $27,000
- Reporting programs
- 1,053
Post-baccalaureate Certificate
- Year-4 earnings
- $142,075
- Federal debt
- $24,159
- Reporting programs
- 6
Master's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $120,338
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 447
Doctoral Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $135,560
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 127
First Professional Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $135,340
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 31
Graduate/Professional Certificate
- Year-4 earnings
- $128,518
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 38
Non-Credential Program (Preparatory Coursework/Teacher Certification)
- Year-4 earnings
- $109,913
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 5
Where the middle half of programs lands
Year‑4 earnings differ by college. This band shows the 25th percentile, national median and 75th percentile among reporting programs.
Median
25th percentile$71,243National median$80,95175th percentile$95,875
63 programs report year‑4 earnings.See the spread, not just the national number.
1University of Pennsylvania$169,8792Unitek College$157,4273Gavilan College$133,7634Cabrillo College$122,8305Delaware County Community College$115,0916Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Erie-Behrend College$108,2647Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Scranton$108,2648Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Fayette- Eberly$108,2649Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus$108,26410Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Mont Alto$108,264Observed year-4 earnings · top displayed records are not a universal ranking
Related occupations
Official CIP–SOC links add career context without claiming that every graduate enters the same job.
Nursing Instructors and Teachers, PostsecondarySOC 25-1072 · 22 crosswalk linksRegistered NursesSOC 29-1141 · 21 crosswalk linksNurse PractitionersSOC 29-1171 · 20 crosswalk linksMedical and Health Services ManagersSOC 11-9111 · 3 crosswalk linksNurse AnesthetistsSOC 29-1151 · 1 crosswalk linksNurse MidwivesSOC 29-1161 · 1 crosswalk links
Same degree, different outcomes
Compare reported outcomes using the same federal field and credential. Automated ROI is withheld when an exact program price or personal earnings baseline is required.
| # | College | Location | Earnings, year 4 | Federal debt | ROI status | Cost context |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of PennsylvaniaUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Philadelphia, PA | $169,879 | $19,875 | Baseline needed | $28,699 |
| 2 | Unitek CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Fremont, CA | $157,427 | Not available | Baseline needed | $25,179 |
| 3 | Gavilan CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Gilroy, CA | $133,763 | Not available | Baseline needed | $6,542 |
| 4 | Cabrillo CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Aptos, CA | $122,830 | $15,000 | Baseline needed | $15,843 |
| 5 | Delaware County Community CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Media, PA | $115,091 | Not available | Baseline needed | $6,576 |
| 6 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Erie-Behrend CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Erie, PA | $108,264 | $27,000 | Baseline needed | $24,558 |
| 7 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State ScrantonUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Dunmore, PA | $108,264 | $27,000 | Baseline needed | $17,910 |
| 8 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Fayette- EberlyUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Lemont Furnace, PA | $108,264 | $27,000 | Baseline needed | $14,596 |
| 9 | Pennsylvania State University-Main CampusUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | University Park, PA | $108,264 | $27,000 | Baseline needed | $32,875 |
| 10 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Mont AltoUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Mont Alto, PA | $108,264 | $27,000 | Baseline needed | $19,454 |
| 11 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State AbingtonUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Abington, PA | $108,264 | $27,000 | Baseline needed | $18,071 |
| 12 | Pennsylvania State University-Penn State SchuylkillUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Schuylkill Haven, PA | $108,264 | $27,000 | Baseline needed | $19,659 |
| 13 | Pennsylvania State University-World CampusUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | University Park, PA | $108,264 | $27,000 | Baseline needed | $19,550 |
| 14 | Glendale Career CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Glendale, CA | $107,049 | $33,930 | Baseline needed | $49,195 |
| 15 | Ohio Medical Career CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Dayton, OH | $102,577 | $26,331 | Baseline needed | $16,456 |
| 16 | Holy Name Medical Center-Sister Claire Tynan School of NursingUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Englewood Cliffs, NJ | $99,436 | $28,794 | Baseline needed | Not available |
| 17 | Roxborough Memorial Hospital School of NursingUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Philadelphia, PA | $95,875 | $20,000 | Baseline needed | Not available |
| 18 | Reading Hospital School of Health SciencesUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Reading, PA | $91,434 | $27,140 | Baseline needed | $28,415 |
| 19 | Bunker Hill Community CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Boston, MA | $88,075 | $11,554 | Baseline needed | $7,818 |
| 20 | Ohio Institute of Allied HealthUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Huber Heights, OH | $86,401 | $26,003 | Baseline needed | $47,034 |
| 21 | Joseph F McCloskey School of NursingUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Pottsville, PA | $85,719 | $28,250 | Baseline needed | Not available |
| 22 | Mid-EastCTC-Adult EducationUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Zanesville, OH | $85,043 | $20,028 | Baseline needed | Not available |
| 23 | St Lukes Hospital School of NursingUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Bethlehem, PA | $84,962 | $24,087 | Baseline needed | Not available |
| 24 | Geisinger Commonwealth School of MedicineUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Scranton, PA | $84,739 | Not available | Baseline needed | $23,384 |
| 25 | Lone Star College SystemUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | The Woodlands, TX | $83,636 | $8,875 | Baseline needed | $11,252 |
| 26 | Western Pennsylvania Hospital School of NursingUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Pittsburgh, PA | $83,076 | $19,624 | Baseline needed | $25,163 |
| 27 | Athena Career AcademyUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Toledo, OH | $82,495 | $36,820 | Baseline needed | $22,886 |
| 28 | Sandusky Career CenterUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Sandusky, OH | $82,487 | $25,055 | Baseline needed | Not available |
| 29 | Arnot Ogden Medical CenterUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Elmira, NY | $82,164 | Not available | Baseline needed | $20,068 |
| 30 | UPMC Mercy School of NursingUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Pittsburgh, PA | $80,951 | $26,366 | Baseline needed | $33,159 |
| 31 | UPMC Shadyside School of NursingUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Pittsburgh, PA | $80,135 | $29,250 | Baseline needed | $29,374 |
| 32 | Chesapeake CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Wye Mills, MD | $79,585 | $11,261 | Baseline needed | $5,106 |
| 33 | Signature Healthcare Brockton Hospital School of NursingUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Brockton, MA | $79,255 | $26,750 | Baseline needed | $22,761 |
| 34 | Baton Rouge General Medical Center School of Nursing & School of Radiologic TechnologyUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Baton Rouge, LA | $78,055 | Not available | Baseline needed | Not available |
| 35 | Trinity Health System School of NursingUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Steubenville, OH | $77,382 | $20,689 | Baseline needed | $9,825 |
| 36 | Washington Health System School of NursingUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Washington, PA | $77,206 | $20,250 | Baseline needed | Not available |
| 37 | Watts College of NursingUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Durham, NC | $77,190 | $31,838 | Baseline needed | Not available |
| 38 | Tri-Rivers Career CenterUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Marion, OH | $76,040 | $26,278 | Baseline needed | $25,605 |
| 39 | DLP Conemaugh Memorial Medical CenterUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Johnstown, PA | $75,813 | $28,622 | Baseline needed | $19,089 |
| 40 | Saint Elizabeth School of NursingUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Lafayette, IN | $75,810 | $38,369 | Baseline needed | $21,827 |
| 41 | Indian Hills Community CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Ottumwa, IA | $75,625 | $23,284 | Baseline needed | $10,693 |
| 42 | Collins Career Technical CenterUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Chesapeake, OH | $74,357 | $23,629 | Baseline needed | $9,468 |
| 43 | Blue Ridge Community CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Weyers Cave, VA | $73,271 | $10,666 | Baseline needed | $13,997 |
| 44 | Columbiana County Career and Technical CenterUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Lisbon, OH | $73,183 | $20,637 | Baseline needed | $12,133 |
| 45 | Brightpoint Community CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Chester, VA | $72,129 | $13,850 | Baseline needed | $5,490 |
| 46 | UPMC Jameson School of NursingUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | New Castle, PA | $71,243 | $24,750 | Baseline needed | $22,889 |
| 47 | Citizens School of NursingUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Tarentum, PA | $70,838 | $24,146 | Baseline needed | $28,480 |
| 48 | Firelands Regional Medical Center School of NursingUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Sandusky, OH | $70,587 | $29,535 | Baseline needed | Not available |
| 49 | Northeast Iowa Community CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Calmar, IA | $70,400 | $23,562 | Baseline needed | $11,272 |
| 50 | Florence-Darlington Technical CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Florence, SC | $70,210 | Not available | Baseline needed | $2,004 |
| 51 | UPMC St. Margaret School of NursingUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Pittsburgh, PA | $68,734 | $31,000 | Baseline needed | $27,327 |
| 52 | J Sargeant Reynolds Community CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Richmond, VA | $66,230 | Not available | Baseline needed | $5,168 |
| 53 | Hawkeye Community CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Waterloo, IA | $59,474 | $19,600 | Baseline needed | $9,649 |
| 54 | Virginia Peninsula Community CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Hampton, VA | $59,208 | $17,600 | Baseline needed | $7,012 |
| 55 | Rio Grande Valley CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Pharr, TX | $55,704 | $17,247 | Baseline needed | $19,500 |
| 56 | Pikes Peak State CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Colorado Springs, CO | $53,211 | Not available | Baseline needed | $6,007 |
| 57 | Wytheville Community CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Wytheville, VA | $49,560 | $9,543 | Baseline needed | $4,622 |
| 58 | West Virginia Northern Community CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Wheeling, WV | $39,721 | $7,916 | Baseline needed | $5,329 |
| 59 | Greenville Technical CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Greenville, SC | $37,019 | Not available | Baseline needed | $11,713 |
| 60 | Universal Technology College of Puerto RicoUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Aguadilla, PR | $10,708 | Not available | Baseline needed | $6,212 |
| 61 | Glendale Community CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Glendale, CA | Not available | $19,800 | Baseline needed | $8,365 |
| 62 | Pueblo Community CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Pueblo, CO | Not available | $19,250 | Baseline needed | $12,045 |
| 63 | Margaret H Rollins School of Nursing at Beebe Medical CenterUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Lewes, DE | Not available | $12,783 | Baseline needed | Not available |
| 64 | Graham Hospital School of NursingUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Canton, IL | Not available | $28,884 | Baseline needed | $21,228 |
| 65 | Central Virginia Community CollegeUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Lynchburg, VA | Not available | $8,250 | Baseline needed | $6,928 |
| 66 | Hope College of Arts and SciencesUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | Pompano Beach, FL | Not available | $25,430 | Baseline needed | $13,325 |
| 67 | Geisinger-Lewistown Hospital School of NursingUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | , | $84,739 | Not available | Baseline needed | Not available |
| 68 | Lutheran School of NursingUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | , | $83,477 | $20,343 | Baseline needed | Not available |
| 69 | Sharon Regional School of NursingUndergraduate Certificate or Diploma | , | $69,554 | $24,772 | Baseline needed | Not available |
This page keeps the field and credential level fixed. Federal categories can still combine multiple catalog programs or concentrations. Automated ROI is limited to associate and bachelor’s degrees because institution-wide annual net price is not a reliable proxy for short certificate prices. ROI is an illustrative scenario, not a federal determination.