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
28
Colleges with salary data
Average 20-Yr Net ROI
+$1,510,105
Across California programs
Average Annual Cost
$39,241
Cost of attendance
| # | College | 20-Yr Net ROI | Median Salary | Annual Cost | Avg Debt | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Touro University California | +$2,307,540 | $157,377 | N/A | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 2 |
University of Southern California
Grad rate: 92.2% |
+$2,212,524 | $161,094 | $84,678 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 3 | Samuel Merritt University | +$2,038,960 | $143,948 | N/A | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 4 | Loma Linda University | +$1,882,000 | $136,100 | N/A | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 5 |
San Francisco State University
Grad rate: 52.2% |
+$1,832,684 | $136,160 | $25,258 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 6 |
University of California-Davis
Grad rate: 85.7% |
+$1,784,046 | $135,009 | $38,067 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 7 |
Vanguard University of Southern California
Grad rate: 57.6% |
+$1,755,224 | $134,779 | $50,178 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 8 |
California State University-Fullerton
Grad rate: 69.3% |
+$1,738,306 | $130,592 | $16,767 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 9 | University of California-San Francisco | +$1,718,580 | $127,929 | N/A | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 10 |
Point Loma Nazarene University
Grad rate: 74.8% |
+$1,626,472 | $128,990 | $56,664 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 11 |
California Baptist University
Grad rate: 61.2% |
+$1,585,344 | $126,508 | $52,408 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 12 |
University of San Francisco
Grad rate: 72.8% |
+$1,547,478 | $127,016 | $76,421 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 13 |
California State University-Fresno
Grad rate: 55.5% |
+$1,528,420 | $120,286 | $18,650 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 14 |
California State University-Los Angeles
Grad rate: 52.0% |
+$1,475,614 | $117,496 | $17,153 | N/A | Full ROI → |
| 15 |
Sonoma State University
Grad rate: 60.1% |
+$1,436,542 | $116,301 | $24,739 | N/A | 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.