Registered Nursing

Salary data, best schools, and honest ROI assessment

Avg Earnings (4yr)

$76,181

Median Earnings

$85,283

Schools Offering

846

ROI Grade

Earnings Range (4 Years After Graduation)

25th: $79,037Median: $85,28375th: $93,334

Best Schools for Registered Nursing by Earnings

#	School	ROI	4yr Earnings	Net Price	Major Debt	Grade
1	California State University-East Bay CA · Public	81	$150,921	$9,320	$18,875	A
2	San Francisco State University CA · Public	80	$150,102	$12,278	$16,875	A
3	Dominican University of California CA · Private	81	$149,622	$35,333	$27,000	B+
4	Sonoma State University CA · Public	81	$143,886	$12,885	$19,750	A
5	University of San Francisco CA · Private	80	$143,356	$41,431	$27,000	B+
6	Pacific Union College CA · Private	57	$140,542	$41,008	$31,000	B+
7	California State University-Monterey Bay CA · Public	76	$134,489	$13,663	$9,489	A
8	Bushnell University OR · Private	47	$131,400	$20,789	$28,704	B+
9	California State University-Sacramento CA · Public	83	$129,960	$9,338	$19,000	A
10	Berkeley College-Woodland Park NJ · Private	16	$128,038	$27,100	$45,693	C+
11	California State University-Stanislaus CA · Public	82	$126,959	$6,067	$23,450	A
12	CUNY Medgar Evers College NY · Public	56	$125,792	$5,718	$21,213	A
13	University of Bridgeport CT · Private	27	$123,148	$27,807	$31,000	B+
14	University of Mount Saint Vincent NY · Private	68	$120,822	$21,696	$30,500	B+
15	San Diego State University CA · Public	84	$120,799	$15,364	$18,875	A
16	University of Hawaii at Manoa HI · Public	72	$120,258	$15,664	$15,308	A
17	California State University-San Marcos CA · Public	80	$120,196	$10,229	$25,047	A
18	University of California-Irvine CA · Public	94	$119,502	$14,251	$13,400	A
19	California State University-Fullerton CA · Public	88	$119,353	$6,555	$17,375	A
20	University of Providence MT · Private	35	$119,206	$17,649	$23,847	A
21	CUNY Lehman College NY · Public	78	$119,115	$3,148	$20,055	A
22	Mount Saint Mary's University CA · Private	75	$119,050	$21,413	$27,000	B+
23	California State University-Dominguez Hills CA · Public	71	$118,588	$8,615	$18,750	A
24	University of California-Los Angeles CA · Public	96	$118,566	$12,548	$20,800	A
25	Azusa Pacific University CA · Private	71	$118,549	$22,212	$26,898	B+
26	New York University NY · Private	84	$118,433	$37,050	$25,500	A
27	Long Island University NY · Private	49	$118,331	$33,062	$31,000	B+
28	Mercy University NY · Private	53	$118,232	$14,072	$35,500	B
29	California State University-Chico CA · Public	82	$117,543	$14,480	$20,125	A
30	New York Institute of Technology NY · Private	73	$117,461	$22,443	$35,500	B
31	Molloy University NY · Private	82	$117,011	$24,347	$31,000	B+
32	California State University-Northridge CA · Public	80	$116,613	$7,021	$20,000	A
33	CUNY Hunter College NY · Public	83	$116,361	$2,984	$16,944	A
34	California State University-Los Angeles CA · Public	80	$116,182	$3,967	$18,964	A
35	Pace University NY · Private	68	$115,695	$30,892	$27,000	B+
36	Point Loma Nazarene University CA · Private	62	$114,919	$38,729	$27,000	B+
37	National University CA · Private	64	$114,413	$22,878	$37,375	B
38	Wagner College NY · Private	76	$113,728	$28,241	$27,000	A
39	College of Staten Island CUNY NY · Public	67	$113,631	$5,579	$17,125	A
40	Simpson University CA · Private	44	$113,623	$27,817	$28,635	B+
41	Hawaii Pacific University HI · Private	48	$112,964	$29,657	$25,000	B+
42	Adelphi University NY · Private	75	$112,945	$30,783	$27,000	B+
43	California State University-Channel Islands CA · Public	79	$112,691	$9,849	$19,750	A
44	Fresno Pacific University CA · Private	62	$112,178	$13,630	N/A	-
45	St. Francis College NY · Private	57	$112,171	$18,129	$31,073	B
46	CUNY York College NY · Public	72	$112,147	$4,456	$12,125	A
47	Stony Brook University NY · Public	87	$111,898	$18,784	$23,000	A
48	California State University-Long Beach CA · Public	86	$111,681	$10,440	$18,661	A
49	West Coast University-Los Angeles CA · Private	69	$111,455	$53,020	$38,145	B
50	West Coast University-Orange County CA · Private	83	$111,455	$32,879	$38,145	B

School-by-school analysis: Registered Nursing

Editorial breakdowns of how registered nursing graduates fare at the top-earning programs in our dataset.

California State University-East Bay

CA · Public · $150,921 4yr earnings · $18,875 median debt

Registered Nursing (107 graduates) is the highest-earning program at CSU East Bay by a wide margin: $124,392 at year one and $150,921 at year four. The A grade with a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.152 and median debt of $18,875 reflects one of the best program-level ROI profiles in the CSU system. Bay Area RN wages are among the highest nationally due to union contracts and local cost-of-living adjustments. This is the standout ROI case at this institution.

San Francisco State University

CA · Public · $150,102 4yr earnings · $16,875 median debt

Registered Nursing is SFSU's clearest ROI anchor: 196 graduates, $117,532 year-one earnings, $150,102 at year four, and a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.144 (ROI grade A). Graduates enter the Bay Area nursing labor market where demand is structural and compensation is among the highest in the nation. Median debt of $16,875 is modest relative to immediate earnings. This is the program that most directly explains the school's Strong Value tier despite its low completion rate.

Dominican University of California

CA · Private · $149,622 4yr earnings · $27,000 median debt

Nursing (121 graduates) earns a B+ grade with year-one earnings of $97,762 and four-year earnings of $149,622—the highest four-year earnings in this cohort. Median debt of $27,000 and a ratio of 0.276 represent outstanding financial efficiency against Bay Area nursing wages. Dominican's nursing program, positioned near major Bay Area health systems, delivers elite health-career outcomes.

Sonoma State University

CA · Public · $143,886 4yr earnings · $19,750 median debt

Registered Nursing is SSU's highest-earning program by a wide margin: 54 graduates, $125,646 year-one, $143,886 at year four. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.157 (ROI grade A) reflects median debt of $19,750 against year-one earnings above $125k -- one of the strongest nursing program ROI profiles on this site. Sonoma County and the Bay Area have some of the highest nursing wage scales in the country, which directly explains the exceptional year-one figure. This program is an outstanding financial value.

University of San Francisco

CA · Private · $143,356 4yr earnings · $27,000 median debt

Registered Nursing (227 graduates) is USF's flagship program: $101,731 year-one, $143,356 at year four (B+ grade, debt-to-earnings 0.265, median debt $27,000). Year-one earnings of $101k reflect Bay Area nursing wages, which are among the highest in the country. Four-year trajectory to $143k shows strong specialty and management advancement. The B+ grade is appropriate -- the debt level is elevated but the Bay Area premium justifies it. This is a high-volume program with consistently strong outcomes.

Pacific Union College

CA · Private · $140,542 4yr earnings · $31,000 median debt

Registered Nursing is Pacific Union College's defining program: 41 graduates, $119,258 year-one -- the single highest year-one earnings figure of any program across all 30 schools in this batch -- $140,542 four-year, debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.260 (ROI grade B+). California's RN shortage and Bay Area compensation premiums drive these exceptional figures. Median debt of $31,000 is elevated but inconsequential against $119k year-one earnings. Nursing at PUC is an outstanding financial outcome; it is the primary reason to consider this institution from an ROI standpoint.

California State University-Monterey Bay

CA · Public · $134,489 4yr earnings · $9,489 median debt

Nursing is CSUMB's top program by a wide margin: 59 graduates, $117,088 at year one, $134,489 at year four. Median debt of just $9,489 and a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.081 earn an A grade -- outstanding performance. The high year-one earnings reflect California's premium nursing wages, and the near-zero debt reflects the CSU tuition advantage. CSUMB nursing graduates earn more in year one than most four-year programs at any California institution, making this one of the strongest specific ROI outcomes in the state system.

Bushnell University

OR · Private · $131,400 4yr earnings · $28,704 median debt

Registered Nursing is the defining reason to consider Bushnell: 19 graduates, $102,985 year-one -- crossing the $100,000 threshold in first-year earnings -- $131,400 four-year, debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.279 (ROI grade B+). Median debt of $28,704 is well-managed against $103k year-one earnings. Oregon's healthcare sector, anchored by PeaceHealth and McKenzie-Willamette Medical Center in the Eugene area, provides strong local demand. The small cohort (19 graduates) means nursing at Bushnell offers intensive faculty-student ratios and clinical placement in a regional market with premium RN salaries.

California State University-Sacramento

CA · Public · $129,960 4yr earnings · $19,000 median debt

Registered Nursing at Sac State (181 graduates) is one of the strongest-performing nursing programs in the CSU system: $116,001 year-one, $129,960 year-four, A-grade ROI, debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.164, and median debt of only $19,000. Graduates at this net price recover their investment in roughly 1-2 years. The combination of high volume, exceptional earnings, and low debt makes this the flagship program at the institution by any measure.

Berkeley College-Woodland Park

NJ · Private · $128,038 4yr earnings · $45,693 median debt

Registered Nursing is Berkeley College's only program with a defensible financial case: 59 graduates, $87,821 at year one, $128,038 at year four (ROI grade C+, debt-to-earnings 0.520). The C+ grade reflects the unusually high debt load -- $45,693 median debt -- which is significantly higher than typical nursing program debt at public institutions. Nursing graduates can service this debt given the earnings level, but the payback is tight. Students interested in nursing should compare Berkeley College's debt levels against community college RN programs and public nursing schools in New Jersey before deciding.

Exceptional Value

Is Registered Nursing Worth It?

The Numbers Support This Major

Registered Nursing is one of the strongest financial bets in higher education. With average graduate earnings of $76,181 four years after graduation, this field consistently outperforms the median across all majors. The return on investment is clear.

With 846 schools offering this major, you have significant choice. That's good news - it means you can shop for the best ROI within the field rather than settling for whatever program accepts you.

The top school for this major by earnings is Sonoma State University, where graduates earn $125,646 four years out. But averages hide a wide range - where you attend and what you do with the degree matter as much as the major itself.

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Earnings data represents median earnings 4 years after graduation for graduates of bachelor's programs, as reported by the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Individual outcomes vary significantly based on career path, location, and other factors.