Nursing Graduate Salaries in Washington
Federal earnings data for every Washington college offering Nursing, ranked by 10-year median graduate salary. Sourced from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard — real tax-reported income, not surveys.
Nursing in Washington. Registered Nursing has 1.4% unemployment and a median salary of $93,600. The U.S. nurse shortage is structural, not cyclical — these jobs aren't going anywhere.
Typical career paths: Registered Nurse, Nurse Practitioner, Critical Care Nurse, Pediatric Nurse, Public Health Nurse. Median starting salary range: $70,000–$93,600. School choice can swing graduate earnings by 30–60% — which is why we rank by federal data, not prestige.
| # | School | 10-yr earnings | Net price/yr |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gonzaga University Spokane, WA | $78,892 | $35,119 |
| 2 | University of Washington-Seattle Campus Seattle, WA | $78,466 | $14,091 |
| 3 | University of Washington-Bothell Campus Bothell, WA | $78,466 | $12,319 |
| 4 | University of Washington-Tacoma Campus Tacoma, WA | $78,466 | $10,163 |
| 5 | Seattle University Seattle, WA | $75,272 | $34,662 |
| 6 | City University of Seattle Seattle, WA | $69,460 | — |
| 7 | Washington State University Pullman, WA | $68,905 | $14,971 |
| 8 | Pacific Lutheran University Tacoma, WA | $66,990 | $19,589 |
| 9 | Seattle Pacific University Seattle, WA | $64,506 | $24,488 |
| 10 | Western Washington University Bellingham, WA | $62,569 | $21,193 |
| 11 | Saint Martin's University Lacey, WA | $62,092 | $28,119 |
| 12 | Walla Walla University College Place, WA | $61,885 | $23,329 |
| 13 | Central Washington University Ellensburg, WA | $61,580 | $18,476 |
| 14 | Whitworth University Spokane, WA | $58,561 | $26,534 |
| 15 | Eastern Washington University Cheney, WA | $57,897 | $13,886 |
| 16 | Bellevue College Bellevue, WA | $56,310 | $11,430 |
| 17 | Northwest University Kirkland, WA | $54,914 | $22,288 |
| 18 | Northwest University-Center for Online and Extended Education Kirkland, WA | $54,914 | $35,671 |
| 19 | Antioch University-Seattle Seattle, WA | $51,541 | — |
| 20 | Green River College Auburn, WA | $50,712 | $13,803 |
| 21 | Lake Washington Institute of Technology Kirkland, WA | $50,669 | $6,817 |
| 22 | Renton Technical College Renton, WA | $49,782 | $8,296 |
| 23 | Bellingham Technical College Bellingham, WA | $49,748 | $5,997 |
| 24 | Heritage University Toppenish, WA | $49,416 | $14,598 |
| 25 | Bastyr University Kenmore, WA | $49,364 | — |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Earnings are 10-year median income for graduates of each institution (all majors, since program-level earnings are released only for select fields). Refreshed every 24 hours.
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Nursing salary in other states
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Frequently asked questions
What do Nursing graduates earn in Washington?
The median 10-year earnings for Nursing graduates from Washington colleges is $49,390, with a range from $35,447 at lower-earning schools to $78,892 at top-earning schools. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
Which Washington school has the highest Nursing graduate salary?
Gonzaga University ranks first among Washington schools offering Nursing, with a 10-year median graduate salary of $78,892.
How is "graduate salary" measured?
These figures come from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard. They reflect actual federal tax-reported income of all graduates 10 years after enrollment — including those who pursued graduate school and those who took industry jobs. They are not survey-based.
Are these salaries adjusted for cost of living?
No. These are raw federal earnings figures. Washington salaries should be considered in context of local cost of living. For example, $90,000 in California has different purchasing power than $90,000 in North Carolina.