Nursing Education
How Much Do Nursing Education Graduates Earn?
The U.S. Department of Education tracks median earnings of Nursing Education graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Earnings tend to climb steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $83,453 |
| 4 years | $80,149 |
| 5 years | $90,156 |
By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $90,156 — roughly 8% above the 1-year mark.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.
Is a Degree in Nursing Education Worth It?
Looking purely at the federal earnings tracker, Nursing Education graduates earn a median of $80,149 four years after completion — roughly 111% above the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000).
ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.
Related Programs
You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:
| Program | Annual Degrees Awarded |
|---|---|
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | 311,372 |
| Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse | 256,965 |
| Family Practice Nurse/Nursing | 14,847 |
| Nursing Practice | 9,206 |
| Nursing Administration | 7,911 |
| Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse/Nursing | 4,379 |
| Nursing Science | 4,245 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing, Other | 4,125 |
| Adult Health Nurse/Nursing | 2,457 |
| Nurse Anesthetist | 1,960 |
| Public Health/Community Nurse/Nursing | 1,505 |
| Geriatric Nurse/Nursing | 641 |
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References
The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.
- College Factual
- National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
- O*NET Online
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
- U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard
More about our data sources and methodologies.