Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing: is this graduate/professional certificate worth it?
National picture across 38 reporting college programs.
Personal baseline needed
$128,518 in median year-4 earnings
A credible return for this credential must start with what the student would otherwise earn. The federal data does not provide that personal baseline.
$128,518Median year-4 earnings
$22,092Average institution net-price context
Not availableMedian federal debt
Observed national outcomes
$128,518Median reported earnings · year 4
$121,936Average reported earnings · year 5
Not availableMedian federal debt
92thYear-4 earnings percentile at this credential
38Reporting programs
38With year-4 earnings
The same field can produce a different equation.
Keep the federal field fixed and compare observed outcomes at every reportable credential level. These are separate graduate cohorts—not a promise that more schooling causes the difference.
OPEN PROFILE
Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma
- Year-4 earnings
- $80,951
- Federal debt
- $24,750
- Reporting programs
- 69
Associate's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $79,954
- Federal debt
- $20,838
- Reporting programs
- 1,032
Bachelor's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $86,259
- Federal debt
- $27,000
- Reporting programs
- 1,053
Post-baccalaureate Certificate
- Year-4 earnings
- $142,075
- Federal debt
- $24,159
- Reporting programs
- 6
Master's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $120,338
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 447
Doctoral Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $135,560
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 127
First Professional Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $135,340
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 31
Graduate/Professional Certificate
- Year-4 earnings
- $128,518
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 38
Non-Credential Program (Preparatory Coursework/Teacher Certification)
- Year-4 earnings
- $109,913
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 5
Where the middle half of programs lands
Year‑4 earnings differ by college. This band shows the 25th percentile, national median and 75th percentile among reporting programs.
Median
25th percentile$120,256National median$128,51875th percentile$139,937
38 programs report year‑4 earnings.See the spread, not just the national number.
1Charles R Drew University of Medicine and Science$187,9322Shenandoah University$155,1363University of Missouri-St Louis$152,4414George Washington University$146,5015Washburn University$143,3746Regis College$142,9617Johns Hopkins University$142,4608University of St Francis$141,5479Molloy University$140,43510Grand Canyon University$140,016Observed year-4 earnings · top displayed records are not a universal ranking
Related occupations
Official CIP–SOC links add career context without claiming that every graduate enters the same job.
Nursing Instructors and Teachers, PostsecondarySOC 25-1072 · 22 crosswalk linksRegistered NursesSOC 29-1141 · 21 crosswalk linksNurse PractitionersSOC 29-1171 · 20 crosswalk linksMedical and Health Services ManagersSOC 11-9111 · 3 crosswalk linksNurse AnesthetistsSOC 29-1151 · 1 crosswalk linksNurse MidwivesSOC 29-1161 · 1 crosswalk links
Same degree, different outcomes
Compare reported outcomes using the same federal field and credential. Automated ROI is withheld when an exact program price or personal earnings baseline is required.
| # | College | Location | Earnings, year 4 | Federal debt | ROI status | Cost context |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Charles R Drew University of Medicine and ScienceGraduate/Professional Certificate | Los Angeles, CA | $187,932 | Not available | Baseline needed | $35,558 |
| 2 | Shenandoah UniversityGraduate/Professional Certificate | Winchester, VA | $155,136 | Not available | Baseline needed | $30,298 |
| 3 | University of Missouri-St LouisGraduate/Professional Certificate | Saint Louis, MO | $152,441 | Not available | Baseline needed | $15,071 |
| 4 | George Washington UniversityGraduate/Professional Certificate | Washington, DC | $146,501 | Not available | Baseline needed | $36,586 |
| 5 | Washburn UniversityGraduate/Professional Certificate | Topeka, KS | $143,374 | Not available | Baseline needed | $15,280 |
| 6 | Regis CollegeGraduate/Professional Certificate | Weston, MA | $142,961 | Not available | Baseline needed | $27,477 |
| 7 | Johns Hopkins UniversityGraduate/Professional Certificate | Baltimore, MD | $142,460 | Not available | Baseline needed | $18,809 |
| 8 | University of St FrancisGraduate/Professional Certificate | Joliet, IL | $141,547 | Not available | Baseline needed | $13,006 |
| 9 | Molloy UniversityGraduate/Professional Certificate | Rockville Centre, NY | $140,435 | Not available | Baseline needed | $24,347 |
| 10 | Grand Canyon UniversityGraduate/Professional Certificate | Phoenix, AZ | $140,016 | Not available | Baseline needed | $22,472 |
| 11 | California State University, Long BeachGraduate/Professional Certificate | Long Beach, CA | $139,937 | Not available | Baseline needed | $10,440 |
| 12 | University of South Carolina-ColumbiaGraduate/Professional Certificate | Columbia, SC | $139,919 | Not available | Baseline needed | $22,811 |
| 13 | Duke UniversityGraduate/Professional Certificate | Durham, NC | $137,549 | Not available | Baseline needed | $29,612 |
| 14 | Graceland University-LamoniGraduate/Professional Certificate | Lamoni, IA | $134,116 | Not available | Baseline needed | $18,504 |
| 15 | Clarkson CollegeGraduate/Professional Certificate | Omaha, NE | $134,099 | Not available | Baseline needed | $19,241 |
| 16 | Maryville University of Saint LouisGraduate/Professional Certificate | Saint Louis, MO | $132,257 | Not available | Baseline needed | $22,066 |
| 17 | Frontier Nursing UniversityGraduate/Professional Certificate | Versailles, KY | $132,131 | Not available | Baseline needed | Not available |
| 18 | Mount Saint Mary CollegeGraduate/Professional Certificate | Newburgh, NY | $131,768 | Not available | Baseline needed | $25,522 |
| 19 | Keuka CollegeGraduate/Professional Certificate | Keuka Park, NY | $129,616 | Not available | Baseline needed | $24,338 |
| 20 | University of IowaGraduate/Professional Certificate | Iowa City, IA | $127,420 | Not available | Baseline needed | $22,531 |
| 21 | University of KentuckyGraduate/Professional Certificate | Lexington, KY | $126,624 | Not available | Baseline needed | $18,851 |
| 22 | Purdue University GlobalGraduate/Professional Certificate | West Lafayette, IN | $126,507 | Not available | Baseline needed | $7,770 |
| 23 | Western University of Health SciencesGraduate/Professional Certificate | Pomona, CA | $126,283 | Not available | Baseline needed | Not available |
| 24 | Florida Atlantic UniversityGraduate/Professional Certificate | Boca Raton, FL | $122,359 | Not available | Baseline needed | $8,752 |
| 25 | South University-SavannahGraduate/Professional Certificate | Savannah, GA | $120,256 | Not available | Baseline needed | $28,743 |
| 26 | South University-ColumbiaGraduate/Professional Certificate | Columbia, SC | $120,256 | Not available | Baseline needed | $27,693 |
| 27 | South University-TampaGraduate/Professional Certificate | Tampa, FL | $120,256 | Not available | Baseline needed | $20,434 |
| 28 | South University-RichmondGraduate/Professional Certificate | Glen Allen, VA | $120,256 | Not available | Baseline needed | $30,442 |
| 29 | South University-Virginia BeachGraduate/Professional Certificate | Virginia Beach, VA | $120,256 | Not available | Baseline needed | $27,843 |
| 30 | South University-Savannah OnlineGraduate/Professional Certificate | Savannah, GA | $120,256 | Not available | Baseline needed | $28,049 |
| 31 | Wilkes UniversityGraduate/Professional Certificate | Wilkes-Barre, PA | $118,833 | Not available | Baseline needed | $27,743 |
| 32 | Marquette UniversityGraduate/Professional Certificate | Milwaukee, WI | $117,288 | Not available | Baseline needed | $31,487 |
| 33 | University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical CampusGraduate/Professional Certificate | Denver, CO | $116,288 | Not available | Baseline needed | $11,900 |
| 34 | Capella UniversityGraduate/Professional Certificate | Minneapolis, MN | $110,330 | Not available | Baseline needed | $17,956 |
| 35 | Chamberlain University-IllinoisGraduate/Professional Certificate | Addison, IL | $101,849 | Not available | Baseline needed | $31,837 |
| 36 | University of Alabama in HuntsvilleGraduate/Professional Certificate | Huntsville, AL | $100,399 | Not available | Baseline needed | $18,796 |
| 37 | Wright State University-Main CampusGraduate/Professional Certificate | Dayton, OH | $56,721 | Not available | Baseline needed | $15,415 |
| 38 | Universidad Ana G. Mendez-Cupey CampusGraduate/Professional Certificate | San Juan, PR | $45,111 | Not available | Baseline needed | $7,646 |
This page keeps the field and credential level fixed. Federal categories can still combine multiple catalog programs or concentrations. Automated ROI is limited to associate and bachelor’s degrees because institution-wide annual net price is not a reliable proxy for short certificate prices. ROI is an illustrative scenario, not a federal determination.