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

Colleges in California ranked by estimated 20-year net return on investment — calculated from median graduate earnings, total attendance cost, and average student debt. Data from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.

Programs in California

45

Colleges with salary data

Average 20-Yr Net ROI

+$958,876

Across California programs

Average Annual Cost

$36,023

Cost of attendance

# College 20-Yr Net ROI Median Salary Annual Cost Avg Debt
1 California State University-East Bay

Grad rate: 45.5%

+$1,601,706 $127,920 $22,803 $18,875 Full ROI →
2 Samuel Merritt University +$1,562,090 $121,792 N/A $25,000 Full ROI →
3 San Francisco State University

Grad rate: 52.2%

+$1,415,226 $118,952 $25,258 $16,875 Full ROI →
4 Sonoma State University

Grad rate: 60.1%

+$1,398,201 $118,191 $24,739 $19,750 Full ROI →
5 Fresno Pacific University

Grad rate: 53.0%

+$1,372,268 $119,148 $42,673 N/A Full ROI →
6 California State University-Sacramento

Grad rate: 55.1%

+$1,325,254 $114,088 $22,714 $19,000 Full ROI →
7 San Jose State University

Grad rate: 66.2%

+$1,301,360 $112,207 $25,695 N/A Full ROI →
8 California State University-Monterey Bay

Grad rate: 62.4%

+$1,256,781 $110,683 $26,017 $9,489 Full ROI →
9 Dominican University of California

Grad rate: 77.7%

+$1,230,750 $119,084 $68,620 $27,000 Full ROI →
10 Pacific College

Grad rate: 75.6%

+$1,156,928 $105,513 $28,333 N/A Full ROI →
11 California State University-Stanislaus

Grad rate: 56.6%

+$1,148,914 $104,737 $18,542 $23,450 Full ROI →
12 American University of Health Sciences +$1,119,023 $101,194 N/A $48,042 Full ROI →
13 California State University-Dominguez Hills

Grad rate: 46.7%

+$1,109,791 $101,845 $15,449 $18,750 Full ROI →
14 Pacific Union College

Grad rate: 48.8%

+$1,085,774 $107,830 $47,244 $31,000 Full ROI →
15 University of San Francisco

Grad rate: 72.8%

+$1,070,726 $112,643 $76,421 $27,000 Full ROI →

How ROI is calculated

20-Year Net ROI = Gross Earnings (salary × 20) − Total Degree Cost (annual cost × programme years) − Debt Payoff (avg debt × 1.35) − Baseline Opportunity Cost ($42,000 × 20 = $840,000)

A positive ROI means a degree in this field pays off relative to entering the workforce without one. 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.

Alabama Best Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing → Alaska Best Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing → Arizona Best Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing → Arkansas Best Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing → California Current state Colorado Best Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing → Connecticut Best Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing → Delaware Best Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing → Florida Best Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing → Georgia Best Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing → Hawaii Best Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing → Idaho Best Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing → Illinois Best Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing → Indiana Best Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing → Iowa Best Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing → Kansas Best Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing → Kentucky Best Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing → Louisiana Best Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing → Maine Best Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing → Maryland Best Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing → Massachusetts Best Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing → Michigan Best Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing → Minnesota Best Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing → Mississippi Best Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing → Missouri Best Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing → Montana Best Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing → Nebraska Best Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing → Nevada Best Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing → New Hampshire Best Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing → New Jersey Best Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing → New Mexico Best Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing → New York Best Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing → North Carolina Best Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing → North Dakota Best Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing → Ohio Best Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing → Oklahoma Best Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing → Oregon Best Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing → Pennsylvania Best Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing → Rhode Island Best Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing → South Carolina Best Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing → South Dakota Best Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing → Tennessee Best Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing → Texas Best Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing → Utah Best Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing → Vermont Best Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing → Virginia Best Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing → Washington Best Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing → West Virginia Best Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing → Wisconsin Best Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing → Wyoming Best Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing →