Bright outlook
Healthcare practitioners
Nurse Anesthetists
- Median pay
- $236,590
- Outlook
- Much faster than average
Master's degree
- Critical Thinking
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Learning
ProgramsHealth Professions and Related Programs
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
CIP51.38
1,111 colleges offer Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. See what it covers, which degree levels are available and what graduates earn and borrow.
Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition
- Colleges offering it
- 1,111
- at its most common level
- Bachelor's earnings
- $86,019
- median, 4 years after
- Bachelor's debt
- $21,934
- median federal loans
Colleges offering it, by degree level
- Certificate
- 155
- Associate's
- 1,072
- Bachelor's
- 1,111
- Master's
- 633
- Post-baccalaureate certificate
- 53
- Doctoral
- 361
- First professional
- 325
- Graduate/professional certificate
- 411
What it covers
About Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing is part of Health Professions and Related Programs: instructional programs that prepare individuals to practice as licensed professionals and assistants in the health care professions and related clinical sciences and administrative and support services.
Definition: National Center for Education Statistics, Classification of Instructional Programs 2020, code 51.38.
Programs in this field
Colleges report these specific programs under CIP 51.38.
- Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse
- Nursing Administration
- Adult Health Nurse/Nursing
- Nurse Anesthetist
- Family Practice Nurse/Nursing
- Maternal/Child Health and Neonatal Nurse/Nursing
- Nurse Midwife/Nursing Midwifery
- Nursing Science
- Pediatric Nurse/Nursing
- Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse/Nursing
- Public Health/Community Nurse/Nursing
- Perioperative/Operating Room and Surgical Nurse/Nursing
By degree level
Earnings and debt by degree level
Medians across colleges of each college's own program median. Earnings are for graduates who received federal aid and were working.
| Degree level | Colleges | Median earnings | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Certificate | 155 | $72,1294 yrs after · 17 colleges | $14,29913 colleges |
| Associate's | 1,072 | $79,9424 yrs after · 898 colleges | $14,887750 colleges |
| Bachelor's | 1,111 | $86,0194 yrs after · 864 colleges | $21,934874 colleges |
| Master's | 633 | $120,3384 yrs after · 379 colleges | $45,457320 colleges |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 53 | $125,7864 yrs after · 1 college | $19,6251 college |
| Doctoral | 361 | $135,4014 yrs after · 109 colleges | $73,618132 colleges |
| First professional | 325 | $133,6444 yrs after · 21 colleges | $87,90024 colleges |
| Graduate/professional certificate | 411 | $132,2574 yrs after · 31 colleges | $34,16729 colleges |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard field-of-study data, 2025. Colleges with too few graduates have their earnings and debt suppressed, so the number of colleges reporting is smaller than the number offering the program.
Bachelor's programs
Where Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing graduates earn the most
Median earnings four years after finishing, among programs with at least 10 graduates in the latest year. Earnings are one measure; cost and graduation rate matter too.
- 1
California State University-East Bay
Hayward, CA · Public · 141 graduates
$150,921
debt $18,751
- 2
San Francisco State University
San Francisco, CA · Public · 182 graduates
$150,102
debt $13,331
- 3
Dominican University of California
San Rafael, CA · Private nonprofit · 111 graduates
$149,622
debt $26,243
- 4
Rohnert Park, CA · Public · 62 graduates
$143,886
debt $12,500
- 5
San Francisco, CA · Private nonprofit · 258 graduates
$143,356
debt $25,000
- 6
Angwin, CA · Private nonprofit · 55 graduates
$140,542
debt $29,584
- 7
California State University-Monterey Bay
Seaside, CA · Public · 52 graduates
$134,489
debt $6,375
- 8
Costa Mesa, CA · — · 26 graduates
$132,148
debt $32,611
- 9
Eugene, OR · Private nonprofit · 44 graduates
$131,400
debt $20,000
- 10
California State University-Sacramento
Sacramento, CA · Public · 212 graduates
$129,960
debt $11,000
Careers
Careers this program leads to
Occupations linked to Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing by the NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk, highest national median pay first. Pay and outlook are BLS figures for each occupation.
- Bright outlook
Healthcare practitioners
Nurse Midwives
- Median pay
- $134,040
- Outlook
- Much faster than average
Master's degree
- Active Listening
- Critical Thinking
- Social Perceptiveness
- Bright outlook
Healthcare practitioners
Nurse Practitioners
- Median pay
- $132,300
- Outlook
- Much faster than average
Master's degree
- Active Listening
- Complex Problem Solving
- Critical Thinking
- Bright outlook
Management
Medical and Health Services Managers
- Median pay
- $123,860
- Outlook
- Much faster than average
Bachelor's degree
- Critical Thinking
- Speaking
- Active Listening
- Bright outlook
Healthcare practitioners
Acute Care Nurses
- Median pay
- $97,550
- Outlook
- Faster than average
Bachelor's degree
- Critical Thinking
- Reading Comprehension
- Service Orientation
- Bright outlook
Healthcare practitioners
Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurses
- Median pay
- $97,550
- Outlook
- Faster than average
Bachelor's degree
- Active Listening
- Social Perceptiveness
- Speaking
- Bright outlook
Healthcare practitioners
Clinical Nurse Specialists
- Median pay
- $97,550
- Outlook
- Faster than average
Bachelor's degree
- Speaking
- Active Learning
- Critical Thinking
- Bright outlook
Healthcare practitioners
Critical Care Nurses
- Median pay
- $97,550
- Outlook
- Faster than average
Bachelor's degree
- Monitoring
- Active Listening
- Critical Thinking
More in Health Professions and Related Programs
Other programs in the same area of study, by how many colleges offer them.
Every program in this area- Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions930 colleges
- Health and Medical Administrative Services890 colleges
- Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants864 colleges
- Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services796 colleges
- Public Health540 colleges
- Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General461 colleges
- Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions424 colleges
- Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions398 colleges
Questions about Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
How many colleges offer Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing?
Published colleges on CollegesRef report Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing at these degree levels: certificate (155 colleges), associate's (1,072 colleges), bachelor's (1,111 colleges), master's (633 colleges), post-baccalaureate certificate (53 colleges), doctoral (361 colleges), first professional (325 colleges), graduate/professional certificate (411 colleges). Counts are from College Scorecard field-of-study data (2025).
What do Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing graduates earn?
At the median college, bachelor's graduates in Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing earn $86,019 a year four years after finishing, across 864 colleges that report earnings. Figures cover graduates who received federal aid.
Where do Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing graduates earn the most?
California State University-East Bay reports the highest median earnings for bachelor's graduates in Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing: $150,921 four years after finishing, among programs with at least 10 graduates.