ROI Major

Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research at University of Wisconsin - Green Bay

WI · Bachelor's Degree · CIP 51.38

Data: 2026 release

Executive Summary

Graduates with a Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research degree from University of Wisconsin - Green Bay earn a median salary of $89,443 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in WI, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $94,052. The degree typically pays for itself in 3.6 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

$71,074

Typical Career

$89,443

Top Performers

$114,456

Estimated break-even: 3.6 years.

Debt-to-Income Check

$596

Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment

Typical monthly pay is approximately $7,454. Most students can comfortably afford about a $596 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 Wisconsin buys what costs $0.95 nationally.

Industry Breadcrumbs

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

Where Bachelor's Graduates from This School Work

Health Care & Social Assistance 22.2%
Educational Services 14.9%
Finance & Insurance 10.0%

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

$94,052

Nominal: $89,443 in Wisconsin (COL 95.1% of national avg) · 5.2% 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).

3.6 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 $61,756 $77,505 $93,771
5 Years After Graduation $71,074 $89,443 $114,456
10 Years After Graduation $76,440 $101,924 $131,860

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 $89,443 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in WI, which has a cost-of-living index of 95.1% of the national average.

Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $89,443 × (1.0 ÷ 0.9510) = $94,052 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 Wisconsin - Green Bay in Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, and Nursing Research can expect a strong earnings trajectory. The median earnings one year after graduation stand at $77,505, increasing to $89,443 after five years and reaching $101,924 after ten years. When adjusted for purchasing power, the five-year salary equivalent is approximately $94,051.52, indicating that graduates can expect their earnings to maintain a competitive edge relative to national averages despite the cost of living in Wisconsin being slightly lower than the national index.

The top industries for graduates include Health Care & Social Assistance (22.2%), Educational Services (14.9%), and Finance & Insurance (10.0%), reflecting the diverse opportunities available in the field. With an estimated break-even point of approximately 3.6 years compared to a high-school-only path, the return on investment for pursuing a nursing degree is favorable. This suggests that the financial benefits of obtaining a nursing degree at UW-Green Bay are significant, making it a viable career choice for prospective students.

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 Wisconsin - Green Bay 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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