Best Colleges for Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing 2026
20 schools ranked by graduate earnings — real data from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
Registered Nursing is one of the most in-demand careers in the US. Graduates enter a stable, high-paying field with opportunities in hospitals, clinics, and specialty care across every state.
Earnings shown are median graduate earnings 4 years after graduation (or 1 year if 4-year data is unavailable), sourced from the College Scorecard.See full major data
Top 20 Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing Programs by Graduate Earnings
| # | School | Earnings | Tuition | Accept Rate | Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California State University-East Bay Hayward, CA | $139,795 | $18,935 | 97% | 10,422 |
| 2 | Samuel Merritt University Oakland, CA | $135,557 | N/A | N/A | 712 |
| 3 | Dominican University of California San Rafael, CA | $132,781 | $50,666 | 96% | 1,178 |
| 4 | San Francisco State University San Francisco, CA | $132,542 | $19,304 | 96% | 20,033 |
| 5 | University of San Francisco San Francisco, CA | $127,245 | $58,222 | 51% | 5,697 |
| 6 | Sonoma State University Rohnert Park, CA | $124,083 | $20,070 | 95% | 5,374 |
| 7 | California State University-Sacramento Sacramento, CA | $123,869 | $19,482 | 94% | 27,867 |
| 8 | California State University-Monterey Bay Seaside, CA | $122,142 | $19,317 | 95% | 5,811 |
| 9 | California State University-Dominguez Hills Carson, CA | $115,301 | $18,944 | 91% | 12,642 |
| 10 | St. Francis College Brooklyn, NY | $114,191 | $27,570 | N/A | 1,931 |
| 11 | Mercy University Dobbs Ferry, NY | $113,576 | $22,106 | 85% | 5,539 |
| 12 | Pacific Union College Angwin, CA | $112,642 | $35,214 | 42% | 910 |
| 13 | CUNY Lehman College Bronx, NY | $112,500 | $15,360 | 55% | 10,438 |
| 14 | Farmingdale State College Farmingdale, NY | $111,965 | $18,486 | 69% | 9,117 |
| 15 | Helene Fuld College of Nursing New York, NY | $111,944 | $24,648 | 24% | 722 |
| 16 | California State University-Stanislaus Turlock, CA | $111,925 | $19,706 | 97% | 8,564 |
| 17 | American University of Health Sciences Signal Hill, CA | $110,694 | $24,575 | 100% | 364 |
| 18 | California State University-Northridge Northridge, CA | $110,342 | $18,975 | 93% | 32,357 |
| 19 | Wagner College Staten Island, NY | $109,601 | $52,000 | 83% | 1,579 |
| 20 | CUNY Medgar Evers College Brooklyn, NY | $109,153 | $15,302 | 83% | 3,404 |
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