ROI Major

Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research at Minnesota North College

MN · Associate's Degree · CIP 51.38

Apply Now Data: 2026 release

Executive Summary

Graduates with a Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research degree from Minnesota North College earn a median salary of $75,964 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in MN, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $80,727. The degree typically pays for itself in 5.1 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

$60,489

Typical Career

$75,964

Top Performers

$89,336

Estimated break-even: 5.1 years.

Debt-to-Income Check

$506

Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment

Typical monthly pay is approximately $6,330. Most students can comfortably afford about a $506 monthly loan payment with this degree.

Comparison Bench

This degree earns 2.0x more than the average US high school graduate and 1.0x more than the average college graduate.

Purchasing Power Context

A dollar in Minnesota buys what costs $0.94 nationally.

Industry Breadcrumbs

Top industries for bachelor's graduates from this school: Health Care & Social Assistance, Public Administration, Retail Trade.

Where Associate's Graduates from This School Work

Health Care & Social Assistance 54.3%
Public Administration 7.3%
Retail Trade 6.0%

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

$80,727

Nominal: $75,964 in Minnesota (COL 94.1% of national avg) · 6.3% 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).

5.1 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 $50,775 $62,636 $74,872
5 Years After Graduation $60,489 $75,964 $89,336
10 Years After Graduation $66,808 $82,911 $106,801

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 $75,964 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in MN, which has a cost-of-living index of 94.1% of the national average.

Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $75,964 × (1.0 ÷ 0.9410) = $80,727 National Average equivalent.

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

Career Verdict

The earnings trajectory for graduates in Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, and Nursing Research from Minnesota North College shows a promising increase over time. One year post-graduation, median earnings are $62,636, which rise to $75,964 after five years and reach $82,911 after ten years. When adjusted for purchasing power, the five-year salary aligns with a national equivalent of $80,726.89, indicating that graduates maintain a competitive financial standing relative to their peers across the country.

Graduates predominantly enter the Health Care & Social Assistance sector, with 63.4% employed in this industry, followed by 54.3% in similar roles and 35.6% in Public Administration. The estimated break-even point for graduates compared to those with only a high school diploma is approximately 5.1 years, suggesting a favorable return on investment for those pursuing these nursing paths. Overall, the combination of solid earnings potential and strong industry demand supports a positive outlook for graduates in this field.

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See how the Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research degree at Minnesota North 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.