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 | $89,110 | $32,750 |
| 2 | Seattle University Seattle, WA | $84,728 | $34,324 |
| 3 | University of Washington-Seattle Campus Seattle, WA | $83,105 | $13,663 |
| 4 | University of Washington-Bothell Campus Bothell, WA | $83,105 | $13,802 |
| 5 | University of Washington-Tacoma Campus Tacoma, WA | $83,105 | $11,900 |
| 6 | Washington State University Pullman, WA | $72,280 | $13,462 |
| 7 | Seattle Pacific University Seattle, WA | $71,277 | $25,419 |
| 8 | Pacific Lutheran University Tacoma, WA | $71,109 | $20,652 |
| 9 | Saint Martin's University Lacey, WA | $70,376 | $25,472 |
| 10 | Walla Walla University College Place, WA | $67,140 | $27,786 |
| 11 | City University of Seattle Seattle, WA | $66,765 | — |
| 12 | Central Washington University Ellensburg, WA | $65,578 | $21,201 |
| 13 | Western Washington University Bellingham, WA | $64,305 | $19,963 |
| 14 | Whitworth University Spokane, WA | $64,055 | $23,009 |
| 15 | Bellevue College Bellevue, WA | $63,508 | $18,271 |
| 16 | Eastern Washington University Cheney, WA | $62,463 | $13,647 |
| 17 | Bastyr University Kenmore, WA | $62,095 | — |
| 18 | Northwest University Kirkland, WA | $61,237 | $22,071 |
| 19 | Heritage University Toppenish, WA | $58,279 | $10,747 |
| 20 | North Seattle College Seattle, WA | $56,814 | $21,037 |
| 21 | Renton Technical College Renton, WA | $56,634 | $18,421 |
| 22 | Lake Washington Institute of Technology Kirkland, WA | $56,471 | $25,594 |
| 23 | Highline College Des Moines, WA | $54,850 | $18,053 |
| 24 | Green River College Auburn, WA | $54,621 | $18,821 |
| 25 | Antioch University-Seattle Seattle, WA | $54,447 | — |
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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Frequently asked questions
What do Nursing graduates earn in Washington?
The median 10-year earnings for Nursing graduates from Washington colleges is $54,534, with a range from $35,232 at lower-earning schools to $89,110 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 $89,110.
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.