Nursing Major — Salary & ROI 2026
Clinical practice focused on patient care, health promotion, and disease prevention.
Starting Salary
$68K
median
Mid-Career
$82K
salary
ROI Payback
3.2 yrs
avg payback
Unemployment
1.2%
rate
Nursing Overview
Clinical practice focused on patient care, health promotion, and disease prevention.
Category
Healthcare
Degree Level
Bachelor's
Graduation Rate
78%
Enrollment Trend
growing
Online Available
Yes
Underemployment
5%
Lifetime Premium
$700K
Female Graduates
85%
Nursing Degree ROI Calculator
Estimate your actual return on investment based on school type and scholarships.
0 to $40K/year in aid
Est. Total Cost
$18,000
4-year tuition
Net Cost (w/ aid)
$18,000
after scholarships
ROI Payback
1 years
to break even
Lifetime Return
$682,000
Lifetime earnings premium ($700,000) minus net degree cost ($18,000)
Nursing Salary Progression
Common Nursing Careers
Registered Nurse
Nurse Practitioner
Clinical Nurse Specialist
Top Employers
Skills You'll Learn
Top Schools for Nursing
#1
Johns Hopkins
#2
Duke
#3
University of Pennsylvania
#4
UCSF
#5
Emory
Related Majors
Nursing Degree FAQ
Data Sources: Salary data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Enrollment and graduation data from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES/IPEDS). Tuition estimates based on College Board Annual Survey of Colleges. Last updated March 2026.
Nursing Programs by City
Tuition, salary outcomes, and cost of living for nursing programs vary by city. See your local numbers:
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