ROI Major

Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research at Washington State Community College

OH · Associate's Degree · CIP 51.38

Apply Now Data: 2026 release

Executive Summary

Graduates with a Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research degree from Washington State Community College earn a median salary of $67,772 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in OH, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $75,219. The degree typically pays for itself in 5.7 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

$52,394

Typical Career

$67,772

Top Performers

$80,468

Estimated break-even: 5.7 years.

Debt-to-Income Check

$452

Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment

Typical monthly pay is approximately $5,648. Most students can comfortably afford about a $452 monthly loan payment with this degree.

Comparison Bench

This degree earns 1.7x more than the average US high school graduate and 0.9x more than the average college graduate.

Purchasing Power Context

A dollar in Ohio buys what costs $0.90 nationally.

Industry Breadcrumbs

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

Where Associate's Graduates from This School Work

Health Care & Social Assistance 42.0%
Manufacturing 7.8%
Retail Trade 7.3%

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

$75,219

Nominal: $67,772 in Ohio (COL 90.1% of national avg) · 11% 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).

5.7 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 $54,309 $63,123 $73,237
5 Years After Graduation $52,394 $67,772 $80,468
10 Years After Graduation $57,458 $74,396 $95,215

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 $67,772 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in OH, which has a cost-of-living index of 90.1% of the national average.

Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $67,772 × (1.0 ÷ 0.9010) = $75,219 National Average equivalent.

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

Career Verdict

Graduates from Washington State Community College in Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, and Nursing Research can expect a positive earnings trajectory. The median earnings one year after graduation stand at $63,123, increasing to $67,772 after five years and reaching $74,396 after ten years. When adjusted for purchasing power, the five-year salary equivalent nationally is approximately $75,218.65, indicating that graduates can maintain a competitive standard of living despite regional cost-of-living variations.

The majority of graduates enter the Health Care & Social Assistance sector, with 71.3% finding employment in this field shortly after graduation. This trend continues with 42.0% and 26.4% of graduates remaining in similar roles over the years. Given the estimated break-even point of approximately 5.7 years compared to a high-school-only path, the return on investment for pursuing a nursing career at this institution appears favorable, particularly in a growing industry with consistent demand for skilled professionals.

Compare with Another School

See how the Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research degree at Washington State Community College 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.