ROI Major

Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research at Front Range Community College

CO · Associate's Degree · CIP 51.38

Apply Now Data: 2026 release

Executive Summary

Graduates with a Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research degree from Front Range Community College earn a median salary of $72,152 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in CO, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $68,651. 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

$57,115

Typical Career

$72,152

Top Performers

$87,457

Estimated break-even: 5.4 years.

Debt-to-Income Check

$481

Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment

Typical monthly pay is approximately $6,013. Most students can comfortably afford about a $481 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 Colorado buys what costs $1.05 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 28.9%
Professional, Scientific & Technical Services 9.8%
Educational Services 8.2%

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

$68,651

Nominal: $72,152 in Colorado (COL 105.1% of national avg) · 4.9% lower 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 $50,334 $62,043 $73,987
5 Years After Graduation $57,115 $72,152 $87,457
10 Years After Graduation $62,785 $80,912 $98,310

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 $72,152 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in CO, which has a cost-of-living index of 105.1% of the national average.

Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $72,152 × (1.0 ÷ 1.0510) = $68,651 National Average equivalent.

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

Career Verdict

Graduates from Front Range Community College's nursing programs can expect a solid earnings trajectory. The median earnings one year after graduation stand at $62,043, increasing to $72,152 five years later and reaching $80,912 a decade post-graduation. When adjusted for purchasing power, the five-year salary equivalent is approximately $68,650.81, reflecting the cost of living in Colorado, which has a COL index of 1.051 compared to the national average of 1.0. This indicates that while earnings are competitive, the local cost of living should be considered when evaluating financial outcomes.

The primary industries for graduates are predominantly within Health Care & Social Assistance, with 60.3% entering this field immediately after graduation. This trend continues with 38.9% and 28.9% remaining in the same sector five and ten years later, respectively. Given the estimated break-even point of approximately 5.4 years compared to a high school-only path, the return on investment for pursuing a nursing career appears favorable, particularly in a growing industry that offers stability and demand for skilled professionals.

Compare with Another School

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

Ready to apply?

Start your application for Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research at Front Range Community College.

Apply to Front Range Community College

Explore More

Other Degrees at Front Range Community College

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.