Massachusetts · Registered Nursing

Best institutions to study Registered Nursing in Massachusetts

The Registered Nursing program prepares students to become healthcare professionals who provide essential care to patients in various settings. This program covers a comprehensive curriculum that equips students with the necessary skills…

Institutions
46
offering CIP 51.38
States & territories
57
with a program page
Degrees / yr
5,614
IPEDS completions 2024–25
Median grad earnings
$81,136
1 year after graduation
With earnings data
38
College Scorecard
Median net price
$26,273
IPEDS 2024–25
Avg graduation rate
47%
IPEDS 2024–25
State pay · Registered Nurses
$117,960
BLS OEWS May 2025

Top 10 institutions, ranked by graduate earnings

Earnings = median 1 year after graduation (College Scorecard).

#InstitutionGrad earnings (1 yr)CompletionsGrad rateNet priceMedian debt
1Framingham State University
Framingham Public · Bachelor's degree
$95,4261848%$23,000
2Simmons University
Boston Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$85,09641072%$24,848$27,916
3College of Our Lady of the Elms
Chicopee Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$83,77514968%$21,982$27,000
4MGH Institute of Health Professions
Boston Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$81,868266$32,000
5University of Massachusetts - Amherst
Amherst Public · Bachelor's degree
$81,45214783%$29,548
6Westfield State University
Westfield Public · Bachelor's degree
$81,1365154%$26,900
7Salem State University
Salem Public · Bachelor's degree
$80,64114550%$28,500
8Fitchburg State University
Fitchburg Public · Bachelor's degree
$80,22813255%$27,000
9Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences
Boston Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$80,03430062%$35,358$34,000
10American International College
Springfield Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$79,8894646%$23,595$37,500

Career outlook

What this program leads to: Registered Nurses (SOC 29-1141).

Projected growth (2024–2034)
+4.9%
About as fast as average
Openings / yr (US)
~189,100
BLS Employment Projections
US median wage
$93,600
typically Bachelor's degree

Top skills

Critical ThinkingActive ListeningSpeakingReading ComprehensionMonitoringWriting

What Registered Nurses earn in Massachusetts

Jobs in Massachusetts
88,200
BLS OEWS May 2025
State average pay
$117,960
median $104,550
Best-paying metro
$121,820
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH

Related careers

Registered Nurses
$117,960 avg · 88,200 jobs
Medical and Health Services Managers
$161,150 avg · 17,600 jobs
Nurse Practitioners
$152,320 avg · 8,070 jobs
Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary
$95,000 avg · 2,280 jobs
Nurse Anesthetists
$303,310 avg · 500 jobs
Nurse Midwives
$162,420 avg · 280 jobs

Common questions

Answers for students comparing Registered Nursing programs in Massachusetts.

Which Registered Nursing program in Massachusetts has the highest-earning graduates?+

By median earnings one year after graduation (College Scorecard), Framingham State University tops the list at $95,426. Compare it against completions, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.

How much do Registered Nurses earn in Massachusetts?+

The average annual wage for Registered Nurses in Massachusetts is $117,960 (median $104,550), across about 88,200 jobs. Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.

What is the focus of the Registered Nursing program?+

The Registered Nursing program prepares students to become healthcare professionals who provide essential care to patients in various settings. This program covers a comprehensive curriculum that equips students with the necessary skills…

What skills will I develop in this program?+

You will develop critical thinking, active listening, speaking, reading comprehension, and related professional skills.

What is the job outlook for Registered Nurses?+

The national job outlook is about +4.9% growth with around 189,100 annual openings (BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034).

What is the typical education requirement?+

A Bachelor's degree is the typical entry-level education for this field (BLS).

About the data on this page

Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.

IPEDSFall 2025–26 release, published July 28, 2026
Enrollment, completions, graduation rates, tuition, financial aid, staffing, and finance for every U.S. institution in federal student aid programs.
College ScorecardJune 10, 2026 release (merged 2025–26 files)
Institution and field-of-study costs, graduate earnings, debt, completion, and admissions outcomes compiled from federal aid records, tax data, and IPEDS.
PSEO graduate earnings2019–21 graduation cohorts (release V4.13.0)
Earnings and employment outcomes of graduates by institution, degree level, and field of study, measured from state wage records.
BLS wages & outlookOEWS May 2025 release
Occupational employment and wage estimates plus 10-year job outlook, used to connect programs to real-world earnings.
FVT/GE program performanceProvisional preview, May 18, 2026 release
Program-level debt-to-earnings and earnings-premium measures behind the FVT/GE and STATS accountability frameworks.

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