Nursing Master’s Degrees
There are 2,114 colleges and universities across the nation that offer amaster’s degree in Nursing. This degree is more popular with female students, and about45% were students from underrepresented racial-ethnic groups. Also, 0.7% of Nursing graduates were international students.
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Education Levels of Nursing Majors
In the most recent year for which data is available, 311,372 degrees were awarded toNursing majors across all award levels. The following table shows the number of diplomas awarded in Nursing at each degree level.
| Education Level | Number of Grads |
|---|---|
| Certificate | 2,663 |
| Associate’s Degree | 85,232 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 153,340 |
| Master’s Degree (this page) | 56,706 |
| Doctor’s Degree | 13,391 |
Earnings of Nursing Majors With Master’s Degrees (All Award Levels)
The median salary for graduates holding amaster’s degree in Nursing of $80,149 four years after graduation. These figures are reported program-wide, across all award levels.
However, this can depend on a number of factors, such as where you live and the number of years of experience you have.
| Years After Graduation | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $83,453 |
| 4 years | $80,149 |
| 5 years | $90,156 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker (program-wide, all award levels).
Student Debt (All Award Levels)
The data on debt ranges for Nursing majors who have their master’s degree is not currently available.
Student Diversity
More women than men pursue their master’s degree in Nursing. About 87.8% of graduates with this degree are women.
| Gender | Number of Grads |
|---|---|
| Men | 5,967 |
| Women | 42,922 |
The racial-ethnic distribution of Nursing graduates is as follows:
| Race / Ethnicity | Number of Grads | Share |
|---|---|---|
| White | 26,420 | 54.0% |
| Asian | 4,359 | 8.9% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 6,665 | 13.6% |
| Black or African American | 7,000 | 14.3% |
| American Indian / Alaska Native | 164 | 0.3% |
| Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander | 170 | 0.3% |
| Two or More Races | 1,171 | 2.4% |
| Race Unknown | 2,610 | 5.3% |
| International Students | 330 | 0.7% |
This degree is not very popular with international students. Only 0.7% of graduates fall into this category.
See the minority definition in the References below.
Most Popular Nursing Programs for Master’s Degrees
There are 2,207 colleges that offer a master’s degree in Nursing. Learn more about the most popular below:
Chamberlain University-Illinois tops the list of the most popular schools in the U.S. for Nursing majors seeking their master's degree. During the most recent year for which we have data, 13,367 people received their master's degree in Nursing from this school. Data shows that graduates who hold this degree go on to make a median salary of $40,669.
Capella University comes in at #2 on our list of the most popular colleges offering master's degrees in Nursing. During the most recent year for which we have data, 8,953 people received their master's degree in Nursing from this school. Data shows that graduates who hold this degree go on to make a median salary of $40,669.
Western Governors University is a popular choice for Nursing majors seeking their master's degree. This school awarded 7,799 master's degrees in Nursing in the most recent reporting year. Data shows that graduates who hold this degree go on to make a median salary of $40,669.
Grand Canyon University is a popular choice for Nursing majors seeking their master's degree. During the most recent year for which we have data, 5,116 people received their master's degree in Nursing from this school. Data shows that graduates who hold this degree go on to make a median salary of $40,669.
Walden University is a popular choice for Nursing majors seeking their master's degree. This school awarded 4,948 master's degrees in Nursing in the most recent reporting year. Graduates who complete their master's degree in Nursing here go on to a median salary of $40,669.
The University of Texas at Arlington comes in at #6 on our list of the most popular colleges offering master's degrees in Nursing. During the most recent year for which we have data, 3,485 people received their master's degree in Nursing from this school. Graduates who complete their master's degree in Nursing here go on to a median salary of $40,669.
Aspen University comes in at #7 on our list of the most popular colleges offering master's degrees in Nursing. This school awarded 1,999 master's degrees in Nursing in the most recent reporting year. Graduates who complete their master's degree in Nursing here go on to a median salary of $40,669.
West Coast University-Orange County is a popular choice for Nursing majors seeking their master's degree. During the most recent year for which we have data, 1,760 people received their master's degree in Nursing from this school. Data shows that graduates who hold this degree go on to make a median salary of $40,669.
Galen College of Nursing-Louisville comes in at #9 on our list of the most popular colleges offering master's degrees in Nursing. During the most recent year for which we have data, 1,491 people received their master's degree in Nursing from this school. Graduates who complete their master's degree in Nursing here go on to a median salary of $40,669.
Ivy Tech Community College comes in at #10 on our list of the most popular colleges offering master's degrees in Nursing. During the most recent year for which we have data, 1,481 people received their master's degree in Nursing from this school. Graduates who complete their master's degree in Nursing here go on to a median salary of $40,669.
University of South Alabama comes in at #11 on our list of the most popular colleges offering master's degrees in Nursing. This school awarded 1,440 master's degrees in Nursing in the most recent reporting year. Data shows that graduates who hold this degree go on to make a median salary of $40,669.
Ohio University-Main Campus comes in at #12 on our list of the most popular colleges offering master's degrees in Nursing. This school awarded 1,401 master's degrees in Nursing in the most recent reporting year. Data shows that graduates who hold this degree go on to make a median salary of $40,669.
NUC University is a popular choice for Nursing majors seeking their master's degree. This school awarded 1,335 master's degrees in Nursing in the most recent reporting year. Graduates who complete their master's degree in Nursing here go on to a median salary of $40,669.
Purdue University Global is a popular choice for Nursing majors seeking their master's degree. This school awarded 1,160 master's degrees in Nursing in the most recent reporting year. Graduates who complete their master's degree in Nursing here go on to a median salary of $40,669.
Keiser University-Ft Lauderdale is a popular choice for Nursing majors seeking their master's degree. During the most recent year for which we have data, 1,154 people received their master's degree in Nursing from this school. Graduates who complete their master's degree in Nursing here go on to a median salary of $40,669.
Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center is a popular choice for Nursing majors seeking their master's degree. During the most recent year for which we have data, 1,142 people received their master's degree in Nursing from this school. Graduates who complete their master's degree in Nursing here go on to a median salary of $40,669.
Rasmussen University-Florida comes in at #17 on our list of the most popular colleges offering master's degrees in Nursing. This school awarded 1,063 master's degrees in Nursing in the most recent reporting year. Graduates who complete their master's degree in Nursing here go on to a median salary of $40,669.
University of Alabama at Birmingham comes in at #18 on our list of the most popular colleges offering master's degrees in Nursing. During the most recent year for which we have data, 1,053 people received their master's degree in Nursing from this school. Graduates who complete their master's degree in Nursing here go on to a median salary of $40,669.
Northern Kentucky University is a popular choice for Nursing majors seeking their master's degree. This school awarded 1,035 master's degrees in Nursing in the most recent reporting year. Data shows that graduates who hold this degree go on to make a median salary of $40,669.
Frontier Nursing University comes in at #20 on our list of the most popular colleges offering master's degrees in Nursing. This school awarded 1,021 master's degrees in Nursing in the most recent reporting year. Graduates who complete their master's degree in Nursing here go on to a median salary of $40,669.
Nursing Concentrations
| Major | Annual Degrees Awarded |
|---|---|
| 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 |
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Related Majors
Below are some popular majors similar to Nursing that also offer master’s degrees.
| Major | Annual Degrees Awarded |
|---|---|
| Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants | 99,987 |
| Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions | 90,379 |
| Health and Medical Administrative Services | 90,166 |
| Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services | 80,693 |
| Public Health | 41,086 |
References
The racial-ethnic minority student count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students, international students, and students whose race/ethnicity was unknown. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the percentage of racial-ethnic minorities.
- 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.
