Best Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing Degrees in the US by ROI

Top colleges ranked by estimated 20-year net return on investment across all active states. Data from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.

Programs Analyzed

885

Colleges with salary data

Average 20-Yr Net ROI

+$330,887

Across all programs

Average Annual Cost

$34,998

Cost of attendance

#	College	State	20-Yr Net ROI	Median Salary	Annual Cost	Avg Debt
1	California State University-East Bay Grad rate: 45.5%	CA	+$1,601,706	$127,920	$22,803	$18,875	Full ROI →
2	Samuel Merritt University	CA	+$1,562,090	$121,792	N/A	$25,000	Full ROI →
3	San Francisco State University Grad rate: 52.2%	CA	+$1,415,226	$118,952	$25,258	$16,875	Full ROI →
4	Sonoma State University Grad rate: 60.1%	CA	+$1,398,201	$118,191	$24,739	$19,750	Full ROI →
5	Fresno Pacific University Grad rate: 53.0%	CA	+$1,372,268	$119,148	$42,673	N/A	Full ROI →
6	California State University-Sacramento Grad rate: 55.1%	CA	+$1,325,254	$114,088	$22,714	$19,000	Full ROI →
7	San Jose State University Grad rate: 66.2%	CA	+$1,301,360	$112,207	$25,695	N/A	Full ROI →
8	California State University-Monterey Bay Grad rate: 62.4%	CA	+$1,256,781	$110,683	$26,017	$9,489	Full ROI →
9	Dominican University of California Grad rate: 77.7%	CA	+$1,230,750	$119,084	$68,620	$27,000	Full ROI →
10	SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University	NY	+$1,163,808	$101,677	N/A	$22,023	Full ROI →
11	Mercy University Grad rate: 47.6%	NY	+$1,159,211	$108,835	$32,391	$35,500	Full ROI →
12	Pacific College Grad rate: 75.6%	CA	+$1,156,928	$105,513	$28,333	N/A	Full ROI →
13	California State University-Stanislaus Grad rate: 56.6%	CA	+$1,148,914	$104,737	$18,542	$23,450	Full ROI →
14	CUNY Lehman College Grad rate: 51.2%	NY	+$1,128,721	$102,481	$13,456	$20,055	Full ROI →
15	American University of Health Sciences	CA	+$1,119,023	$101,194	N/A	$48,042	Full ROI →
16	California State University-Dominguez Hills Grad rate: 46.7%	CA	+$1,109,791	$101,845	$15,449	$18,750	Full ROI →
17	CUNY Graduate School and University Center	NY	+$1,098,919	$98,066	N/A	$16,593	Full ROI →
18	CUNY Hunter College Grad rate: 58.7%	NY	+$1,096,705	$100,641	$13,310	$16,944	Full ROI →
19	Pacific Union College Grad rate: 48.8%	CA	+$1,085,774	$107,830	$47,244	$31,000	Full ROI →
20	University of San Francisco Grad rate: 72.8%	CA	+$1,070,726	$112,643	$76,421	$27,000	Full ROI →
21	Helene Fuld College of Nursing	NY	+$1,042,648	$102,479	$41,733	N/A	Full ROI →
22	CUNY Medgar Evers College Grad rate: 23.1%	NY	+$1,041,666	$98,329	$14,069	$21,213	Full ROI →
23	College of Staten Island CUNY Grad rate: 33.7%	NY	+$1,022,645	$97,105	$14,084	$17,125	Full ROI →
24	California State University-Northridge Grad rate: 56.1%	CA	+$1,022,432	$98,535	$20,317	$20,000	Full ROI →
25	CUNY New York City College of Technology Grad rate: 20.4%	NY	+$1,021,894	$96,572	$13,404	$11,800	Full ROI →
26	University of Providence Grad rate: 43.9%	MT	+$1,017,170	$103,079	$43,054	$23,847	Full ROI →
27	Farmingdale State College Grad rate: 55.6%	NY	+$1,016,173	$97,699	$17,146	$21,646	Full ROI →
28	Loma Linda University	CA	+$1,004,579	$94,365	N/A	$31,645	Full ROI →
29	St. Francis College Grad rate: 53.1%	NY	+$996,975	$102,400	$42,269	$31,073	Full ROI →
30	University of California-Los Angeles Grad rate: 92.6%	CA	+$991,748	$100,320	$36,643	$20,800	Full ROI →
31	California State University-Fullerton Grad rate: 69.3%	CA	+$962,495	$94,651	$16,767	$17,375	Full ROI →
32	California State University-Chico Grad rate: 63.9%	CA	+$960,031	$96,478	$25,590	$20,125	Full ROI →
33	University of Phoenix-California Grad rate: 21.4%	CA	+$953,252	$91,501	N/A	$27,235	Full ROI →
34	University of Phoenix-Hawaii Grad rate: 18.4%	HI	+$953,252	$91,501	N/A	$27,235	Full ROI →
35	California State University-Long Beach Grad rate: 71.3%	CA	+$950,527	$94,848	$20,310	$18,661	Full ROI →
36	Wagner College Grad rate: 64.9%	NY	+$945,622	$103,705	$63,007	$27,000	Full ROI →
37	California State University-Los Angeles Grad rate: 52.0%	CA	+$941,206	$93,771	$17,153	$18,964	Full ROI →
38	Empire State University Grad rate: 27.3%	NY	+$921,428	$93,382	$18,221	$24,687	Full ROI →
39	University of California-Irvine Grad rate: 86.3%	CA	+$915,066	$95,882	$36,121	$13,400	Full ROI →
40	Long Island University Grad rate: 51.8%	NY	+$912,614	$100,207	$52,419	$31,000	Full ROI →
41	California State University-Channel Islands Grad rate: 55.1%	CA	+$888,321	$92,557	$24,039	$19,750	Full ROI →
42	California State University-San Bernardino Grad rate: 54.5%	CA	+$888,043	$91,007	$16,910	$18,116	Full ROI →
43	University of Phoenix-Arizona Grad rate: 18.7%	AZ	+$875,456	$91,501	$19,449	$27,235	Full ROI →
44	California State University-Fresno Grad rate: 55.5%	CA	+$859,803	$89,931	$18,650	$17,938	Full ROI →
45	California State University-San Marcos Grad rate: 55.3%	CA	+$854,930	$90,666	$21,144	$25,047	Full ROI →
46	Azusa Pacific University Grad rate: 62.8%	CA	+$847,987	$97,162	$54,735	$26,898	Full ROI →
47	Trocaire College Grad rate: 21.5%	NY	+$845,820	$90,191	$29,500	N/A	Full ROI →
48	New York Institute of Technology Grad rate: 55.4%	NY	+$843,115	$97,277	$53,625	$35,500	Full ROI →
49	Stony Brook University Grad rate: 77.8%	NY	+$829,414	$90,858	$29,174	$23,000	Full ROI →
50	Adelphi University Grad rate: 68.2%	NY	+$821,314	$96,377	$57,444	$27,000	Full ROI →

How ROI is calculated

20-Year Net ROI = Gross Earnings (salary × 20) − Total Degree Cost − Debt Payoff (×1.35) − Baseline Opportunity Cost ($42,000 × 20). Data from the U.S. College Scorecard.

Find Best Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing Degrees by State

Browse Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing programs ranked by 20-year ROI in every state that offers this degree.