🇺🇸 Best Nursing Programs in United States 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 ($) | Payback | Tuition ($/yr) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Michigan-Ann Arbor Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. | 31.4 | $62,823 | 3 yrs | $36,786 |
| 2 | Vanderbilt University Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. | 27.1 | $65,198 | 3 yrs | $44,369 |
| 3 | Purdue University-Main Campus Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. | 26.5 | $65,198 | 3 yrs | $40,880 |
| 4 | Andrews University Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. | 25.4 | $65,198 | 3 yrs | $35,132 |
| 5 | University of Mississippi Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. | 25.2 | $65,198 | 3 yrs | $37,279 |
| 6 | University of Missouri-Kansas City Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. | 24.8 | $78,710 | 2 yrs | $37,268 |
| 7 | University of Wisconsin-Madison Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. | 23.9 | $65,198 | 4 yrs | $48,591 |
| 8 | University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. | 23.6 | $65,198 | 3 yrs | $42,840 |
| 9 | University of Kansas Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. | 23.4 | $80,580 | 3 yrs | $50,565 |
| 10 | University of Minnesota-Twin Cities Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. | 23.3 | $65,198 | 4 yrs | $46,978 |
| 11 | Ohio State University-Main Campus Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. | 21.8 | $61,995 | 4 yrs | $48,549 |
| 12 | Arkansas State University Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. | 21.6 | $65,198 | 3 yrs | $34,625 |
| 13 | University of California-Irvine Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. | 21.3 | $65,198 | 4 yrs | $39,903 |
| 14 | Holy Family University Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. | 20.7 | $65,198 | 3 yrs | $36,800 |
| 15 | University of Detroit Mercy Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. | 20.6 | $65,198 | 3 yrs | $42,650 |
| 16 | University of St Francis Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. | 20.4 | $59,902 | 3 yrs | $36,417 |
| 17 | University of California-Davis Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. | 20.3 | $65,198 | 4 yrs | $41,275 |
| 18 | Western Carolina University Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. | 20.3 | $65,198 | 3 yrs | $37,282 |
| 19 | University of North Carolina at Charlotte Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. | 20.1 | $65,198 | 3 yrs | $43,218 |
| 20 | University of Wyoming Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. | 20.0 | $65,198 | 3 yrs | $38,077 |
| 21 | Florida Gulf Coast University Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. | 19.8 | $70,169 | 3 yrs | $35,190 |
| 22 | The University of Texas at Austin Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. | 19.4 | $65,198 | 5 yrs | $55,600 |
| 23 | Johns Hopkins University Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. | 18.1 | $65,198 | 5 yrs | $52,665 |
| 24 | Saint Peter's University Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. | 17.5 | $65,198 | 3 yrs | $34,157 |
| 25 | University of California-Los Angeles Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. | 16.0 | $50,231 | 6 yrs | $35,134 |