ROI Major

Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research at University of Connecticut

CT · Bachelor's Degree · CIP 51.38

Apply Now Data: 2026 release

Executive Summary

Graduates with a Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research degree from University of Connecticut earn a median salary of $93,756 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in CT, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $81,315. The degree typically pays for itself in 3.5 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

$75,510

Typical Career

$93,756

Top Performers

$110,881

Estimated break-even: 3.5 years.

Debt-to-Income Check

$625

Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment

Typical monthly pay is approximately $7,813. Most students can comfortably afford about a $625 monthly loan payment with this degree.

Comparison Bench

This degree earns 2.4x more than the average US high school graduate and 1.2x more than the average college graduate.

Purchasing Power Context

A dollar in Connecticut buys what costs $1.15 nationally.

Industry Breadcrumbs

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

Where Bachelor's Graduates from This School Work

Health Care & Social Assistance 20.5%
Professional, Scientific & Technical Services 16.5%
Educational Services 13.9%

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

$81,315

Nominal: $93,756 in Connecticut (COL 115.3% of national avg) · 13.3% 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).

3.5 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 $66,713 $78,448 $89,719
5 Years After Graduation $75,510 $93,756 $110,881
10 Years After Graduation $83,644 $105,725 $133,842

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 $93,756 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in CT, which has a cost-of-living index of 115.3% of the national average.

Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $93,756 × (1.0 ÷ 1.1530) = $81,315 National Average equivalent.

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

Career Verdict

Graduates in Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, and Nursing Research from the University of Connecticut can expect a solid earnings trajectory. The median earnings one year after graduation stand at $78,448, increasing to $93,756 five years post-graduation, and reaching $105,725 after ten years. When considering purchasing power, the adjusted five-year salary equivalent is approximately $81,314.83, reflecting the higher cost of living in Connecticut (COL index: 1.153) compared to the national average (1.0). This indicates that while initial earnings are competitive, the cost of living should be factored into long-term financial planning.

The top industries for graduates include Health Care & Social Assistance (20.5%), Professional, Scientific & Technical Services (16.5%), and Educational Services (13.9%). Given the estimated break-even point of approximately 3.5 years compared to a high-school-only path, the return on investment for pursuing a nursing degree appears favorable. Overall, the combination of strong earnings potential and diverse employment opportunities in key sectors suggests a positive career outlook for graduates in these nursing fields.

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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.