ROI Major

Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research at Cuyahoga Community College

OH · Associate's Degree · CIP 51.38

Apply Now Data: 2026 release

Executive Summary

Graduates with a Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research degree from Cuyahoga Community College earn a median salary of $72,793 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in OH, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $80,791. The degree typically pays for itself in 5.4 years.

Quick Insights

Solid Investment

How this degree looks at a glance

A fast read on salary range, break-even speed, living-cost impact, and where graduates from this school usually land.

Salary Ranges

Starting Range

$60,719

Typical Career

$72,793

Top Performers

$86,120

Estimated break-even: 5.4 years.

Debt-to-Income Check

$485

Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment

Typical monthly pay is approximately $6,066. Most students can comfortably afford about a $485 monthly loan payment with this degree.

Comparison Bench

This degree earns 1.9x more than the average US high school graduate and 0.9x more than the average college graduate.

Purchasing Power Context

A dollar in Ohio buys what costs $0.90 nationally.

Industry Breadcrumbs

Top industries for bachelor's graduates from this school: Health Care & Social Assistance, Professional, Scientific & Technical Services, Educational Services.

Where Associate's Graduates from This School Work

Health Care & Social Assistance 44.8%
Professional, Scientific & Technical Services 6.3%
Educational Services 6.2%

Institution-wide industry mix for graduates, 5 years after graduation. This is not major-specific. Source: Census PSEO Flows.

5-Year Median Salary — National Purchasing Power Equivalent

$80,791

Nominal: $72,793 in Ohio (COL 90.1% of national avg) · 11% higher purchasing power

10-Year Earnings Curve

Break-Even Timeline

How long until cumulative earnings advantage exceeds total college investment (tuition + opportunity cost vs. entering workforce directly after high school).

5.4 years to break even
Graduation 15 years

Total Investment

$155,168

4yr tuition + 4yr opportunity cost

HS Graduate Baseline

$38,792/yr

BLS 2023 median, HS diploma

View Raw Data: Median Earnings by Year
Timeframe 25th Pct. Median (50th) 75th Pct.
1 Year After Graduation $49,012 $60,720 $72,613
5 Years After Graduation $60,719 $72,793 $86,120
10 Years After Graduation $67,650 $81,851 $98,598

Source: US Census Bureau Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO), 2025 release. Earnings shown for Bachelor's degree graduates (all cohorts combined).

How We Calculate Purchasing Power

The median salary of $72,793 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in OH, which has a cost-of-living index of 90.1% of the national average.

Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $72,793 × (1.0 ÷ 0.9010) = $80,791 National Average equivalent.

COL index source: BLS Regional Consumer Price Index & MIT Living Wage Project, 2023. Full methodology →

Career Verdict

Graduates from Cuyahoga Community College's nursing programs can expect a solid earnings trajectory, with median earnings of $60,720 one year after graduation, rising to $72,793 after five years, and reaching $81,851 by the ten-year mark. When adjusted for purchasing power, the five-year salary aligns with a national equivalent of approximately $80,791.34, indicating that graduates maintain competitive earnings relative to national standards, despite the cost of living index in Ohio being lower than the national average.

The majority of graduates enter the Health Care & Social Assistance sector, with 51.9% employed in this field one year post-graduation, and 44.8% and 31.7% remaining in similar roles after five and ten years, respectively. The estimated break-even point for graduates compared to those with only a high school diploma is approximately 5.4 years, suggesting a favorable return on investment for pursuing a nursing career. Overall, the data indicates a strong potential for career advancement and financial stability within the nursing profession.

Compare with Another School

See how the Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research degree at Cuyahoga Community College stacks up against another institution side-by-side.

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Data sources: US Census Bureau Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO). Cost-of-living index: BLS Regional CPI & MIT Living Wage Project. Cost of attendance: IPEDS. For informational use only; data may be suppressed for small cohort sizes.