ROI Major

Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research at New York City College of Technology of the City University of New York

NY · Bachelor's Degree · CIP 51.38

Data: 2026 release

Executive Summary

Graduates with a Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research degree from New York City College of Technology of the City University of New York earn a median salary of $119,710 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in NY, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $90,689. The degree typically pays for itself in 2.2 years.

Quick Insights

Financial Home Run

How this degree looks at a glance

A fast read on salary range, break-even speed, living-cost impact, and where bachelor's graduates from this school usually land.

Salary Ranges

Starting Range

$100,160

Typical Career

$119,710

Top Performers

$142,090

Estimated to break even in under 3 years.

Debt-to-Income Check

$798

Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment

Typical monthly pay is approximately $9,976. Most students can comfortably afford about a $798 monthly loan payment with this degree.

Comparison Bench

This degree earns 3.1x more than the average US high school graduate and 1.5x 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, Professional, Scientific & Technical Services, Educational Services.

Where Bachelor's Graduates from This School Work

Health Care & Social Assistance 24.2%
Professional, Scientific & Technical Services 13.4%
Educational Services 10.3%

Institution-wide industry mix for bachelor's graduates, 5 years after graduation. This is not major-specific. Source: Census PSEO Flows.

5-Year Median Salary — National Purchasing Power Equivalent

$90,689

Nominal: $119,710 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).

2.2 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 $84,267 $107,301 $128,292
5 Years After Graduation $100,160 $119,710 $142,090
10 Years After Graduation $117,202 $138,652 $164,283

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 $119,710 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)
= $119,710 × (1.0 ÷ 1.3200) = $90,689 National Average equivalent.

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

Career Verdict

Graduates from the Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, and Nursing Research programs at New York City College of Technology can expect a strong earnings trajectory. The median earnings one year after graduation stand at $107,301, increasing to $119,710 after five years and reaching $138,652 after ten years. However, when adjusted for purchasing power, the median five-year salary equates to approximately $90,689.39 nationally, reflecting the higher cost of living in New York (COL index: 1.32). This indicates that while initial salaries are robust, the purchasing power may be impacted by regional economic factors.

The primary industries that graduates enter include Health Care & Social Assistance (24.2%), Professional, Scientific & Technical Services (13.4%), and Educational Services (10.3%). Given the estimated break-even point of approximately 2.2 years compared to a high-school-only path, the return on investment for pursuing a nursing degree appears favorable. The combination of strong salary potential and diverse employment opportunities in essential sectors suggests that this career path can provide both financial stability and professional fulfillment.

AI-assisted editorial analysis based on Census PSEO data. Fact-checked against source data.

Compare with Another School

See how the Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research degree at New York City College of Technology of the City University of New York stacks up against another institution side-by-side.

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.

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