Nursing is one of the most reliable career paths in the US — high demand, strong job security, and starting salaries that compare favorably to fields requiring a graduate degree. But not all nursing programs produce the same outcomes, and the school you choose can significantly affect your earnings, debt load, and career trajectory.
This guide uses federal College Scorecard earnings data to help you evaluate nursing programs on what matters most: what graduates actually earn, and what the degree costs.
What nursing graduates earn
The federal median earnings figure (reported 10 years after enrollment) for nursing graduates varies widely by institution — from around $55,000 at some community-based programs to over $85,000 at research universities with strong hospital affiliations.
Key factors that drive nursing salary outcomes:
- Hospital affiliations: Schools with teaching hospital partnerships place more graduates into higher-paying clinical roles
- BSN vs. ADN programs: Bachelor's-prepared nurses typically earn 10âÃÂÃÂ20% more over their careers
- Location: Nursing salaries vary significantly by state — California, New York, and Massachusetts pay registered nurses 40âÃÂÃÂ60% more than Southern states
- Specialty focus: Schools with strong ICU, NICU, or surgical nursing tracks produce graduates who enter higher-paying specialties faster
Why you should look at net price, not just rankings
Many families focus on NCLEX pass rates and accreditation (both important) but overlook the net price of the program. A nursing degree from a private university might cost $180,000 — and produce graduates earning the same salary as a public university program costing $60,000.
The return on investment calculation is straightforward: if two programs produce graduates earning $72,000 per year, the one that costs $80,000 less in total is categorically the better financial decision.
Using the College Scorecard data on DecideMyCampus, you can:
- See the median earnings of nursing graduates from any accredited institution
- Compare net price after financial aid (not sticker price)
- Filter by state to find programs near you
- Check 6-year graduation rates — important for nursing programs, which have high attrition
What to look for in a nursing program
NCLEX-RN pass rates. The licensing exam is a hard gate between graduation and employment. Programs with pass rates below 85% are a red flag — they indicate either poor curriculum quality or a mismatch between who the program admits and who can succeed. Most state boards of nursing publish pass rates publicly.
Accreditation. Look for ACEN (Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing) or CCNE (Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education) accreditation. Without it, your degree may not be recognized by employers or graduate programs.
Clinical hours and hospital partnerships. Nursing is a hands-on field. Programs that place students at large teaching hospitals — especially Level I trauma centers — provide richer clinical experience and stronger career networks.
RN-to-BSN pathways. If you're considering starting at a community college ADN program, check whether the school has established transfer pathways to BSN programs. Many hospitals now require or prefer BSN nurses, and having a pre-articulated transfer path makes the upgrade much more affordable.
High-value nursing programs by earnings and cost
Public flagship universities with nursing schools (University of Michigan, Ohio State, University of North Carolina, University of Washington) consistently show strong earnings outcomes with relatively manageable in-state net prices. For in-state students, these often represent the best combination of quality and cost.
Regional public universities with dedicated nursing colleges often produce graduates earning competitive salaries at significantly lower cost than private institutions. Many regional programs have strong local hospital relationships that improve placement rates even without national name recognition.
HBCU nursing programs — including those at Howard University, Meharry Medical College's affiliated programs, and Spelman College — serve high proportions of first-generation students and often provide strong mentorship networks that improve long-term career outcomes.
Community college ADN programs paired with bridge pathways are the most cost-effective route for many students. Total cost of $15,0004ïÿý$30,000 for an ADN, plus 1âÃÂÃÂ2 years of work experience, followed by an online RN-to-BSN program ($8,000âÃÂÃÂ$20,000) produces the same credential as a four-year BSN at a fraction of the cost.
How to use DecideMyCampus to evaluate nursing programs
Go to the college search tool and select "Nursing" as your major. You'll see every school that reports nursing-specific earnings data, sortable by:
- Median earnings of graduates (10 years after enrollment)
- Net price after financial aid
- Graduation rate
- Distance from your location
This gives you a ranked list based on actual outcomes — not marketing claims or magazine rankings. From there, use individual school profiles to dig into program-specific data before scheduling campus visits or reaching out to admissions.
The bottom line
The best nursing program is the one that produces strong earnings outcomes, has rigorous accreditation and licensing pass rates, and costs an amount your family can realistically finance without excessive debt. A private university name is not a reliable predictor of nursing salary outcomes — federal earnings data is.
Use the data. Compare programs on salary and net price together. The programs that look best on those two dimensions are almost always the right starting point.