ROI Major

Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research at SUNY Broome Community College

NY · Associate's Degree · CIP 51.38

Apply Now Data: 2026 release

Executive Summary

Graduates with a Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research degree from SUNY Broome Community College earn a median salary of $76,628 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in NY, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $58,052. The degree typically pays for itself in 4.5 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

$63,385

Typical Career

$76,628

Top Performers

$90,086

Estimated break-even: 4.5 years.

Debt-to-Income Check

$511

Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment

Typical monthly pay is approximately $6,386. Most students can comfortably afford about a $511 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 New York buys what costs $1.32 nationally.

Industry Breadcrumbs

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

Where Associate's Graduates from This School Work

Health Care & Social Assistance 33.6%
Educational Services 8.6%
Retail Trade 8.0%

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

$58,052

Nominal: $76,628 in New York (COL 132.0% of national avg) · 24.2% 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).

4.5 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 $59,016 $70,370 $81,774
5 Years After Graduation $63,385 $76,628 $90,086
10 Years After Graduation $68,875 $89,296 $109,941

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 $76,628 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in NY, which has a cost-of-living index of 132.0% of the national average.

Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $76,628 × (1.0 ÷ 1.3200) = $58,052 National Average equivalent.

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

Career Verdict

Graduates from SUNY Broome Community College's nursing programs can expect a positive earnings trajectory. The median earnings one year after graduation stand at $70,370, increasing to $76,628 after five years and reaching $89,296 after ten years. However, when adjusted for purchasing power, the five-year salary equivalent nationally is approximately $58,051.52, reflecting the higher cost of living in New York, where the cost-of-living index is 1.32 compared to the national average of 1.0. This indicates that while initial earnings are strong, graduates should consider the impact of living expenses on their financial situation.

The top industries for graduates primarily include Health Care & Social Assistance, which accounts for 41.6% of employment, followed by another segment of Health Care & Social Assistance at 33.6%, and Retail Trade at 9.0%. The estimated break-even point for graduates compared to those with only a high school diploma is approximately 4.5 years, suggesting a favorable return on investment for pursuing a nursing career. Overall, the combination of solid earnings potential and strong industry demand positions registered nursing and its related fields as a viable career choice for students at SUNY Broome Community College.

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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.