ROI Major

Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research at University of Oklahoma - Health Sciences Center

OK · Bachelor's Degree · CIP 51.38

Data: 2026 release

Executive Summary

Graduates with a Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research degree from University of Oklahoma - Health Sciences Center earn a median salary of $79,076 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in OK, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $91,736. The degree typically pays for itself in 4.6 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

$61,552

Typical Career

$79,076

Top Performers

$98,853

Estimated break-even: 4.6 years.

Debt-to-Income Check

$527

Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment

Typical monthly pay is approximately $6,590. Most students can comfortably afford about a $527 monthly loan payment with this degree.

Comparison Bench

This degree earns 2.0x more than the average US high school graduate and 1.0x more than the average college graduate.

Purchasing Power Context

A dollar in Oklahoma buys what costs $0.86 nationally.

Industry Breadcrumbs

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

Where Bachelor's Graduates from This School Work

Health Care & Social Assistance 81.2%
Administrative & Support Services 5.5%
Educational Services 5.3%

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

$91,736

Nominal: $79,076 in Oklahoma (COL 86.2% of national avg) · 16% 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).

4.6 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 $58,874 $67,526 $77,227
5 Years After Graduation $61,552 $79,076 $98,853
10 Years After Graduation $67,683 $91,143 $119,928

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 $79,076 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in OK, which has a cost-of-living index of 86.2% of the national average.

Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $79,076 × (1.0 ÷ 0.8620) = $91,736 National Average equivalent.

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

Career Verdict

Graduates from the University of Oklahoma - Health Sciences Center in Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, and Nursing Research can expect a solid earnings trajectory. The median earnings one year after graduation stand at $67,526, which increases to $79,076 after five years and reaches $91,143 after ten years. When adjusted for purchasing power, the five-year salary equivalent is approximately $91,735.5, reflecting a competitive position in the job market, especially considering the cost of living index in Oklahoma is lower than the national average.

The primary industries that graduates enter are Health Care & Social Assistance (81.2%), Administrative & Support Services (5.5%), and Educational Services (5.3%). Given the strong demand for nursing professionals, the estimated break-even point compared to a high-school-only path is approximately 4.6 years, indicating a favorable return on investment. This data suggests that pursuing a degree in nursing at this institution can lead to a stable and rewarding career in a growing field.

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 Oklahoma - Health Sciences Center 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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