🇦🇺 Best Nursing Programs in Australia by ROI
Ranked by ROI score — net salary after rent and living costs, weighted by graduation rate, relative to total degree tuition. Salary figures are median graduate earnings from government data (2026).
| # | University | ROI | Salary (A$) | Payback | Tuition (A$/yr) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Southern Cross University Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. | 60.7 | A$61,200 | 1 yrs | A$28,615 |
| 2 | University of the Sunshine Coast Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. | 55.8 | A$61,200 | 2 yrs | A$30,805 |
| 3 | Charles Sturt University Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. | 55.0 | A$61,200 | 2 yrs | A$32,981 |
| 4 | University of New England Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. | 54.5 | A$61,200 | 2 yrs | A$32,979 |
| 5 | University of Southern Queensland Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. | 50.7 | A$61,200 | 2 yrs | A$34,789 |
| 6 | Federation University Australia Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. | 49.9 | A$61,200 | 2 yrs | A$34,504 |
| 7 | Torrens University Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. | 49.4 | A$61,200 | 2 yrs | A$29,574 |
| 8 | Central Queensland University Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. | 44.7 | A$61,200 | 2 yrs | A$40,360 |
| 9 | University of Wollongong Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. | 41.6 | A$61,200 | 2 yrs | A$39,475 |
| 10 | Flinders University Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. | 40.6 | A$61,200 | 2 yrs | A$38,509 |
| 11 | Charles Darwin University Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. | 39.9 | A$61,200 | 2 yrs | A$38,185 |
| 12 | University of Tasmania Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. | 39.3 | A$61,200 | 2 yrs | A$40,709 |
| 13 | Curtin University Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. | 37.8 | A$61,200 | 2 yrs | A$37,482 |
| 14 | Australian Catholic University Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. | 37.6 | A$61,200 | 2 yrs | A$36,659 |
| 15 | James Cook University Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. | 37.4 | A$61,200 | 2 yrs | A$46,987 |
| 16 | Swinburne University of Technology Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. | 37.0 | A$61,200 | 2 yrs | A$40,087 |
| 17 | Deakin University Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. | 34.8 | A$61,200 | 3 yrs | A$43,517 |
| 18 | Murdoch University Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. | 34.7 | A$61,200 | 2 yrs | A$39,564 |
| 19 | University of Canberra Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. | 34.6 | A$61,200 | 3 yrs | A$38,199 |
| 20 | Griffith University Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. | 34.4 | A$61,200 | 2 yrs | A$41,994 |
| 21 | University of Newcastle Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. | 34.3 | A$61,200 | 3 yrs | A$45,270 |
| 22 | La Trobe University Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. | 33.1 | A$61,200 | 3 yrs | A$44,857 |
| 23 | Edith Cowan University Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. | 32.5 | A$61,200 | 3 yrs | A$43,053 |
| 24 | Western Sydney University Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. | 31.9 | A$61,200 | 3 yrs | A$39,171 |
| 25 | The University of Queensland Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. | 31.4 | A$61,200 | 3 yrs | A$46,159 |