Home›Majors›Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing

BACHELOR'S DEGREE · NATIONAL DEGREE OUTCOMES

Is a bachelor's degree in Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing worth it?

Compare cost, debt and earnings across 1,053 college programs with reportable data.

Based onObserved earnings + college priceEstimate10-year payoff

Estimated 10-year payoff

Positive payoff

+$154,497 over 10 years

National scenario across reporting bachelor's degree programs, using median year-4 earnings, their institutions’ average net prices and a typical 4-year duration.

6.3 yrsTime to earn back the modeled cost

+60%Estimated return after 10 years

$86,259Observed earnings · year 4

$58,148Highest annual price before payoff reaches $0

The price benchmark is $38,624 per year below this threshold.

Start with your decision

What do you need to compare?

PRICE SENSITIVITY

The price can change the verdict.

Hold observed earnings constant and see how the modeled ten-year payoff changes as annual price rises.

← Negative payoff$0Positive payoff →

$0Annual price+$232,590

$16,000Annual price+$168,590

$20,000Current college-wide context+$152,590

$32,000Annual price+$104,590

$48,000Annual price+$40,590

$64,000Annual price−$23,410

$80,000Annual price−$87,410

WHAT THIS DEGREE PAYS

Outcomes at a glance

$86,259Typical earnings four years after completion

$83,862Average earnings five years after completion

$27,000Typical federal student debt

83thEarnings percentile among the same degree level

996Degrees awarded in 2024–25

1,021College programs reporting earnings

Degree counts come from the IPEDS Fall 2025 provisional release and cover 164 matched college records. Colleges without a match are not estimated.

A PRACTICAL READ

Four useful answers about Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing

How much do Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing bachelor's degree graduates earn?

The national median is $86,259 four years after completion across reportable bachelor's degree programs in this federal field.

How much federal debt do graduates have?

The median reported federal debt is $27,000. The figure excludes private loans and does not describe every graduate.

Does the college matter for Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing?

Yes. The middle half of reporting programs ranges from $79,278 to $92,899 in observed year-4 earnings.

What careers are related to Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing?

DegreeVerdict links this field to 6 displayed occupations using the official federal CIP–SOC crosswalk. Occupational wages are career context, not graduate salary promises.

COMPARE DEGREE LEVELS

More schooling changes both the cost and the outcome.

Compare the same field at each degree level with reportable data. These are separate groups of graduates, so the differences do not prove that an additional degree caused higher earnings.

OPEN PROFILE

Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma

Year-4 earnings: $80,951
Federal debt: $24,750
Programs in the comparison: 69

63 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Associate's Degree

Year-4 earnings: $79,954
Federal debt: $20,838
Programs in the comparison: 1,032

1,007 report earnings →CURRENT VIEW

Bachelor's Degree

Year-4 earnings: $86,259
Federal debt: $27,000
Programs in the comparison: 1,053

1,021 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Post-baccalaureate Certificate

Year-4 earnings: $142,075
Federal debt: $24,159
Programs in the comparison: 6

3 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Master's Degree

Year-4 earnings: $120,338
Federal debt: Not available
Programs in the comparison: 447

447 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Doctoral Degree

Year-4 earnings: $135,560
Federal debt: Not available
Programs in the comparison: 127

127 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

First Professional Degree

Year-4 earnings: $135,340
Federal debt: Not available
Programs in the comparison: 31

31 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Graduate/Professional Certificate

Year-4 earnings: $128,518
Federal debt: Not available
Programs in the comparison: 38

38 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Non-Credential Program (Preparatory Coursework/Teacher Certification)

Year-4 earnings: $109,913
Federal debt: Not available
Programs in the comparison: 5

5 report earnings →

COLLEGE-TO-COLLEGE RANGE

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$79,278National median$86,25975th percentile$92,899

1,021 programs report year‑4 earnings.

BEFORE YOU CHOOSE

Compare price, debt and earnings together

$92,89975th-percentile year-4 earnings among reporting programs

$27,000Median federal debt across programs that report it

135Programs with earnings in the top quarter and debt at or below the median

SHORTLIST BY QUESTION

Three useful places to start

Each choice answers a different question. These are observed signals, not an overall winner.

Highest observed earnings

PRICE × EARNINGS MAP

Where colleges sit for this exact degree

Move left for a lower annual college-wide net price and up for higher observed year-4 earnings.

$149,622Observed year-4 earnings$118,549

California State University, East Bay$9,320 price · $150,921 earnings San Francisco State University$12,278 price · $150,102 earnings Dominican University of California$35,333 price · $149,622 earnings Sonoma State University$12,885 price · $143,886 earnings University of San Francisco$41,431 price · $143,356 earnings Pacific Union College$41,008 price · $140,542 earnings California State University, Monterey Bay$13,663 price · $134,489 earnings Pacific College$29,363 price · $132,148 earnings Bushnell University$20,789 price · $131,400 earnings California State University, Sacramento$9,338 price · $129,960 earnings Berkeley College-Woodland Park$27,100 price · $128,038 earnings Helene Fuld College of Nursing$47,181 price · $127,915 earnings California State University, Stanislaus$6,067 price · $126,959 earnings CUNY Medgar Evers College$5,718 price · $125,792 earnings University of Bridgeport$27,807 price · $123,148 earnings University of Mount Saint Vincent$21,696 price · $120,822 earnings San Diego State University$15,364 price · $120,799 earnings University of Hawaii at Manoa$15,664 price · $120,258 earnings California State University, San Marcos$10,229 price · $120,196 earnings University of California, Irvine$14,251 price · $119,502 earnings California State University, Fullerton$6,555 price · $119,353 earnings University of Providence$17,649 price · $119,206 earnings CUNY Lehman College$3,148 price · $119,115 earnings Mount Saint Mary's University$21,413 price · $119,050 earnings California State University, Dominguez Hills$8,615 price · $118,588 earnings University of California, Los Angeles$12,548 price · $118,566 earnings Azusa Pacific University$22,212 price · $118,549 earnings New York University$37,050 price · $118,433 earnings

$5,718Annual college-wide average net price$41,008

Build your shortlist

Choose colleges offering this exact degree

Start with the highest-earning reported programs below, or open the full directory to search every college.

StateCollege typeMaximum federal debtSort shortlist by

30 shortlist matchesSelect up to four · 25 shown

1California State University, East BayHayward, CA · PublicYear-4 earnings$150,921Federal debt$18,875Annual net price$9,320

2San Francisco State UniversitySan Francisco, CA · PublicYear-4 earnings$150,102Federal debt$16,875Annual net price$12,278

3Dominican University of CaliforniaSan Rafael, CA · Private nonprofitYear-4 earnings$149,622Federal debt$27,000Annual net price$35,333

4Samuel Merritt UniversityOakland, CA · Private nonprofitYear-4 earnings$148,193Federal debt$25,000Annual net priceNot available

5Sonoma State UniversityRohnert Park, CA · PublicYear-4 earnings$143,886Federal debt$19,750Annual net price$12,885

6University of San FranciscoSan Francisco, CA · Private nonprofitYear-4 earnings$143,356Federal debt$27,000Annual net price$41,431

7Pacific Union CollegeAngwin, CA · Private nonprofitYear-4 earnings$140,542Federal debt$31,000Annual net price$41,008

8California State University, Monterey BaySeaside, CA · PublicYear-4 earnings$134,489Federal debt$9,489Annual net price$13,663

9Pacific CollegeCosta Mesa, CA · Private for-profitYear-4 earnings$132,148Federal debtNot availableAnnual net price$29,363

10Bushnell UniversityEugene, OR · Private nonprofitYear-4 earnings$131,400Federal debt$28,704Annual net price$20,789

11California State University, SacramentoSacramento, CA · PublicYear-4 earnings$129,960Federal debt$19,000Annual net price$9,338

12Berkeley College-Woodland ParkWoodland Park, NJ · Private for-profitYear-4 earnings$128,038Federal debt$45,693Annual net price$27,100

13Helene Fuld College of NursingNew York, NY · Private nonprofitYear-4 earnings$127,915Federal debtNot availableAnnual net price$47,181

14California State University, StanislausTurlock, CA · PublicYear-4 earnings$126,959Federal debt$23,450Annual net price$6,067

15CUNY Medgar Evers CollegeBrooklyn, NY · PublicYear-4 earnings$125,792Federal debt$21,213Annual net price$5,718

16University of BridgeportBridgeport, CT · Private nonprofitYear-4 earnings$123,148Federal debt$31,000Annual net price$27,807

17University of Mount Saint VincentBronx, NY · Private nonprofitYear-4 earnings$120,822Federal debt$30,500Annual net price$21,696

18San Diego State UniversitySan Diego, CA · PublicYear-4 earnings$120,799Federal debt$18,875Annual net price$15,364

19American University of Health SciencesSignal Hill, CA · Private for-profitYear-4 earnings$120,284Federal debt$48,042Annual net priceNot available

20University of Hawaii at ManoaHonolulu, HI · PublicYear-4 earnings$120,258Federal debt$15,308Annual net price$15,664

21California State University, San MarcosSan Marcos, CA · PublicYear-4 earnings$120,196Federal debt$25,047Annual net price$10,229

22University of California, IrvineIrvine, CA · PublicYear-4 earnings$119,502Federal debt$13,400Annual net price$14,251

23California State University, FullertonFullerton, CA · PublicYear-4 earnings$119,353Federal debt$17,375Annual net price$6,555

24University of ProvidenceGreat Falls, MT · Private nonprofitYear-4 earnings$119,206Federal debt$23,847Annual net price$17,649

25CUNY Lehman CollegeBronx, NY · PublicYear-4 earnings$119,115Federal debt$20,055Annual net price$3,148

Search every reporting program →

WHERE OUTCOMES ARE STRONGEST

See the spread, not just the national number.

1California State University, East Bay$150,921 2San Francisco State University$150,102 3Dominican University of California$149,622 4Samuel Merritt University$148,193 5Sonoma State University$143,886 6University of San Francisco$143,356 7Pacific Union College$140,542 8California State University, Monterey Bay$134,489 9Pacific College$132,148 10Bushnell University$131,400

Observed year-4 earnings · top displayed records are not a universal ranking

Career outlook

Jobs this degree may lead to

Federal education-to-career links identify related occupations. They do not imply that every graduate enters the same job.

Pay and projected demand

Related careers do not share one outlook

Bubble size = annual openings2025–35 national projection

Higher median wage ↑

-7%Projected employment growth →43%

Occupation wages describe workers in these jobs, not graduates of this degree. BLS projections are national estimates and do not guarantee hiring.

Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary$80,250 median wage77,960 jobs nationwide+17.1% projected growth through 2035 · 8,500 openings a yearTypical entry education: Doctoral or professional degree$48,800–$129,500 typical wage rangeRegistered Nurses$97,550 median wage3,379,720 jobs nationwide+5.6% projected growth through 2035 · 180,800 openings a yearTypical entry education: Bachelor's degree$68,940–$137,470 typical wage rangeNurse Practitioners$132,300 median wage323,040 jobs nationwide+41.0% projected growth through 2035 · 29,400 openings a yearTypical entry education: Master's degree$101,340–$174,420 typical wage rangeMedical and Health Services Managers$123,860 median wage597,080 jobs nationwide+24.2% projected growth through 2035 · 62,300 openings a yearTypical entry education: Bachelor's degree$73,390–$224,340 typical wage rangeNurse Anesthetists$236,590 median wage51,840 jobs nationwide+9.7% projected growth through 2035 · 2,400 openings a yearTypical entry education: Master's degree$155,250–$339,500 typical wage rangeNurse Midwives$134,040 median wage7,920 jobs nationwide+11.5% projected growth through 2035 · 400 openings a yearTypical entry education: Master's degree$93,620–$188,320 typical wage range

BLS May 2025 wages and 2025–35 projections. Career figures describe occupations, not graduates of a specific college.

EXPLORE BY STATE

Where this degree has enough data to compare

State pages are published only when at least five operating colleges report year-4 earnings for this exact field and credential.

OH59 programs$80,867 average earnings PA58 programs$90,425 average earnings FL57 programs$89,031 average earnings NY54 programs$104,400 average earnings TX50 programs$89,091 average earnings CA42 programs$119,681 average earnings PR36 programs$35,207 average earnings GA35 programs$85,299 average earnings IL33 programs$83,554 average earnings TN31 programs$78,069 average earnings IN30 programs$81,457 average earnings NC28 programs$82,738 average earnings

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.