ROI Major

Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research at Youngstown State University

OH · Bachelor's Degree · CIP 51.38

Data: 2026 release

Executive Summary

Graduates with a Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research degree from Youngstown State University earn a median salary of $73,972 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in OH, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $82,100. The degree typically pays for itself in 4.7 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 bachelor's graduates from this school usually land.

Salary Ranges

Starting Range

$60,661

Typical Career

$73,972

Top Performers

$91,033

Estimated break-even: 4.7 years.

Debt-to-Income Check

$493

Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment

Typical monthly pay is approximately $6,164. Most students can comfortably afford about a $493 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 Ohio buys what costs $0.90 nationally.

Industry Breadcrumbs

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

Where Bachelor's Graduates from This School Work

Health Care & Social Assistance 24.0%
Educational Services 19.6%
Manufacturing 9.2%

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

$82,100

Nominal: $73,972 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).

4.7 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 $59,447 $69,934 $80,430
5 Years After Graduation $60,661 $73,972 $91,033
10 Years After Graduation $67,988 $86,918 $112,569

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 $73,972 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)
= $73,972 × (1.0 ÷ 0.9010) = $82,100 National Average equivalent.

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

Career Verdict

Graduates from Youngstown State University pursuing Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, or Nursing Research can expect a robust earnings trajectory. The median earnings one year after graduation stand at $69,934, which increases to $73,972 after five years and reaches $86,918 after ten years. When adjusted for purchasing power, the five-year salary aligns with a national equivalent of $82,099.89, indicating that graduates maintain a competitive financial standing relative to peers nationwide.

The primary industries employing these graduates include Health Care & Social Assistance (24.0%), Educational Services (19.6%), and Manufacturing (9.2%). With an estimated break-even point of approximately 4.7 years compared to a high-school-only path, the return on investment for pursuing a nursing degree is favorable. This data suggests that graduates not only find stable employment but also benefit from a significant increase in earnings over time, reinforcing the value of their educational investment.

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 Youngstown State University 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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