ROI Major

Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research at University of North Georgia

GA · Bachelor's Degree · CIP 51.38

Data: 2026 release

Executive Summary

Graduates with a Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research degree from University of North Georgia earn a median salary of $80,058 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in GA, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $88,462. The degree typically pays for itself in 4.4 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 bachelor's graduates from this school usually land.

Salary Ranges

Starting Range

$61,984

Typical Career

$80,058

Top Performers

$104,056

Estimated break-even: 4.4 years.

Debt-to-Income Check

$534

Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment

Typical monthly pay is approximately $6,672. Most students can comfortably afford about a $534 monthly loan payment with this degree.

Comparison Bench

This degree earns 2.1x more than the average US high school graduate and 1.0x more than the average college graduate.

Purchasing Power Context

A dollar in Georgia buys what costs $0.91 nationally.

Industry Breadcrumbs

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

Where Bachelor's Graduates from This School Work

Educational Services 29.2%
Health Care & Social Assistance 17.1%
Professional, Scientific & Technical Services 8.4%

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

$88,462

Nominal: $80,058 in Georgia (COL 90.5% of national avg) · 10.5% 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).

4.4 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 $58,073 $69,343 $80,281
5 Years After Graduation $61,984 $80,058 $104,056
10 Years After Graduation $71,238 $95,990 $121,842

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 $80,058 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in GA, which has a cost-of-living index of 90.5% of the national average.

Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $80,058 × (1.0 ÷ 0.9050) = $88,462 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 North Georgia shows a promising increase over time. One year after graduation, the median earnings stand at $69,343.00, which rises to $80,058.00 after five years and reaches $95,990.00 after a decade. When adjusted for purchasing power, the five-year salary equivalent is approximately $88,461.88, indicating that graduates can expect a solid return on their investment in education, especially given Georgia's lower cost of living index at 0.905 compared to the national average.

Graduates typically enter diverse industries, with the largest sectors being Educational Services (29.2%), Health Care & Social Assistance (17.1%), and Professional, Scientific & Technical Services (8.4%). The estimated break-even point for those pursuing a nursing career versus a high-school-only path is approximately 4.4 years, suggesting that the investment in nursing education can yield significant financial benefits relatively quickly. Overall, the return on investment for students in these nursing disciplines appears favorable, given the strong job market and competitive salaries.

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 University of North Georgia 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.

Explore More