ROI Major

Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research at University of Missouri - Saint Louis

MO · 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 Missouri - Saint Louis earn a median salary of $74,265 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in MO, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $83,257. The degree typically pays for itself in 5.2 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

$57,707

Typical Career

$74,265

Top Performers

$93,392

Estimated break-even: 5.2 years.

Debt-to-Income Check

$495

Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment

Typical monthly pay is approximately $6,189. Most students can comfortably afford about a $495 monthly loan payment with this degree.

Comparison Bench

This degree earns 1.9x more than the average US high school graduate and 1.0x more than the average college graduate.

Purchasing Power Context

A dollar in Missouri buys what costs $0.89 nationally.

Industry Breadcrumbs

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

Where Bachelor's Graduates from This School Work

Health Care & Social Assistance 20.9%
Educational Services 14.3%
Professional, Scientific & Technical Services 9.7%

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

$83,257

Nominal: $74,265 in Missouri (COL 89.2% of national avg) · 12.1% 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).

5.2 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 $51,755 $62,007 $75,189
5 Years After Graduation $57,707 $74,265 $93,392
10 Years After Graduation $70,773 $91,682 $120,256

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 $74,265 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in MO, which has a cost-of-living index of 89.2% of the national average.

Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $74,265 × (1.0 ÷ 0.8920) = $83,257 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 from the University of Missouri - Saint Louis shows a promising increase over time. Median earnings one year after graduation stand at $62,007, rising to $74,265 five years post-graduation, and reaching $91,682 after ten years. When adjusted for purchasing power, the five-year salary equates to approximately $83,256.73 nationally, indicating that graduates can expect a competitive salary relative to their peers across the country.

Graduates primarily enter the Health Care & Social Assistance sector (20.9%), followed by Educational Services (14.3%) and Professional, Scientific & Technical Services (9.7%). The estimated break-even point compared to a high-school-only path is approximately 5.2 years, suggesting a favorable return on investment for those pursuing higher education in nursing. Overall, the data indicates that a degree in nursing from this institution can lead to solid career prospects and financial stability over time.

Compare with Another School

See how the Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research degree at University of Missouri - Saint Louis stacks up against another institution side-by-side.

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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.