ROI Major

Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research at Weatherford College

TX · Associate's Degree · CIP 51.38

Apply Now Data: 2026 release

Executive Summary

Graduates with a Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research degree from Weatherford College earn a median salary of $86,861 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in TX, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $94,312. The degree typically pays for itself in 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

$70,727

Typical Career

$86,861

Top Performers

$103,974

Estimated break-even: 4 years.

Debt-to-Income Check

$579

Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment

Typical monthly pay is approximately $7,238. Most students can comfortably afford about a $579 monthly loan payment with this degree.

Comparison Bench

This degree earns 2.2x more than the average US high school graduate and 1.1x more than the average college graduate.

Purchasing Power Context

A dollar in Texas buys what costs $0.92 nationally.

Industry Breadcrumbs

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

Where Associate's Graduates from This School Work

Health Care & Social Assistance 37.7%
Educational Services 12.1%
Public Administration 8.7%

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

$94,312

Nominal: $86,861 in Texas (COL 92.1% of national avg) · 8.6% 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).

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 $59,628 $71,464 $86,350
5 Years After Graduation $70,727 $86,861 $103,974
10 Years After Graduation $81,347 $99,460 $120,591

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 $86,861 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in TX, which has a cost-of-living index of 92.1% of the national average.

Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $86,861 × (1.0 ÷ 0.9210) = $94,312 National Average equivalent.

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

Career Verdict

Graduates from Weatherford College pursuing Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, or Nursing Research can expect a positive earnings trajectory. The median earnings one year after graduation stand at $71,464, increasing to $86,861 after five years and reaching $99,460 after ten years. When adjusted for purchasing power, the five-year salary aligns with a national equivalent of approximately $94,311.62, indicating that graduates maintain competitive earnings relative to the cost of living in Texas, which has a lower cost of living index compared to the national average.

The primary industries for graduates are Health Care & Social Assistance, which accounts for 37.7% and 37.4% of employment, and Public Administration at 20.7%. Given the estimated break-even point of approximately four years compared to a high-school-only path, the return on investment for pursuing a nursing career is favorable. This suggests that the financial benefits of obtaining a degree in nursing at Weatherford College outweigh the costs within a relatively short timeframe, making it a viable career choice.

Compare with Another School

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

Ready to apply?

Start your application for Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research at Weatherford College.

Apply to Weatherford College

Explore More

Other Degrees at Weatherford 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.