ROI Major

Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research at Olivet Nazarene University

IL · Bachelor's Degree · CIP 51.38

Data: 2026 release

Executive Summary

Graduates with a Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research degree from Olivet Nazarene University earn a median salary of $90,611 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in IL, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $98,705. 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 bachelor's graduates from this school usually land.

Salary Ranges

Starting Range

$70,975

Typical Career

$90,611

Top Performers

$114,696

Estimated break-even: 3.5 years.

Debt-to-Income Check

$604

Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment

Typical monthly pay is approximately $7,551. Most students can comfortably afford about a $604 monthly loan payment with this degree.

Comparison Bench

This degree earns 2.3x more than the average US high school graduate and 1.2x more than the average college graduate.

Purchasing Power Context

A dollar in Illinois buys what costs $0.92 nationally.

Industry Breadcrumbs

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

Where Bachelor's Graduates from This School Work

Health Care & Social Assistance 34.5%
Educational Services 19.4%
Manufacturing 6.6%

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

$98,705

Nominal: $90,611 in Illinois (COL 91.8% of national avg) · 8.9% 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).

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 $67,104 $80,153 $99,267
5 Years After Graduation $70,975 $90,611 $114,696
10 Years After Graduation $80,243 $105,964 $131,574

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 $90,611 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in IL, which has a cost-of-living index of 91.8% of the national average.

Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $90,611 × (1.0 ÷ 0.9180) = $98,705 National Average equivalent.

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

Career Verdict

Graduates from Olivet Nazarene University pursuing Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, or Nursing Research can expect a robust earnings trajectory. The median earnings one year after graduation stand at $80,153, increasing to $90,611 after five years, and reaching $105,964 by the ten-year mark. When adjusted for purchasing power, the five-year salary aligns with a national equivalent of approximately $98,704.79, indicating that graduates maintain a competitive financial standing despite the cost of living in Illinois being slightly lower than the national average.

The top industries for graduates reveal a strong alignment with health-related fields, as 34.5% enter Health Care & Social Assistance, followed by 19.4% in Educational Services and 6.6% in Manufacturing. 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 at Olivet Nazarene University appears favorable. This trajectory suggests that graduates not only secure stable employment but also benefit from substantial long-term financial gains in a growing sector.

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 Olivet Nazarene University 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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