ROI Major

Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research at Cisco 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 Cisco College earn a median salary of $82,235 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in TX, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $89,289. The degree typically pays for itself in 4.1 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

$65,730

Typical Career

$82,235

Top Performers

$97,872

Estimated break-even: 4.1 years.

Debt-to-Income Check

$548

Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment

Typical monthly pay is approximately $6,853. Most students can comfortably afford about a $548 monthly loan payment with this degree.

Comparison Bench

This degree earns 2.1x 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, Retail Trade.

Where Associate's Graduates from This School Work

Health Care & Social Assistance 36.5%
Educational Services 11.2%
Retail Trade 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

$89,289

Nominal: $82,235 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).

4.1 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 $58,734 $73,088 $86,872
5 Years After Graduation $65,730 $82,235 $97,872
10 Years After Graduation $70,727 $88,027 $108,157

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 $82,235 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)
= $82,235 × (1.0 ÷ 0.9210) = $89,289 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 at Cisco College shows a steady increase over time. One year after graduation, median earnings stand at $73,088, rising to $82,235 after five years, and reaching $88,027 after ten years. When adjusted for purchasing power, the five-year salary equivalent is approximately $89,288.82, indicating that graduates can expect a competitive income relative to national standards, particularly given Texas's lower cost of living index (0.921).

Graduates predominantly enter the Health Care & Social Assistance sector, with 41.6% in their first year, 36.5% after five years, and 17.3% after ten years. The estimated break-even point for those pursuing this path versus a high school-only education is approximately 4.1 years, suggesting a favorable return on investment. Overall, the career prospects in nursing fields at Cisco College appear promising, with strong industry demand and a solid earnings potential that justifies the educational commitment.

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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.