Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations·SOC 29-1141

Best degree programs for Registered Nurses, ranked by enrollment

21 college programs and 2,140 schools train Registered Nurses. Compare graduates per year, cost and pay, $97,550 median wage, 3,379,720 U.S. jobs. Federal data.

21 college programs at 2,140 schools train registered nurses, graduating 315,273 people a year (IPEDS completions). The largest is Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse. The job pays a median of $97,550 (BLS OEWS May 2025).

Graduates / yr
315,273
from every feeder program
Median annual wage
$97,550
BLS OEWS May 2025
Projected growth
+4.9%
About as fast as average
Openings / yr
189,100
new plus replacement
Schools
2,140
with a feeder program
States with jobs
51
BLS reports wages

About registered nurses

Assess patient health problems and needs, develop and implement nursing care plans, and maintain medical records. Administer nursing care to ill, injured, convalescent, or disabled patients. May advise patients on health maintenance and disease prevention or provide case management. Licensing or registration required.

Also calledStaff NurseCharge NurseAPN (Advanced Practice Nurse)CNS (Clinical Nurse Specialist)Critical Care Nurse PractitionerAdvanced Practice Psychiatric NurseCritical Care Registered Nurse (CCRN)ICU Nurse (Intensive Care Unit Nurse)Operating Room Registered Nurse (OR RN)Psychiatric NP (Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner)PMHNP (Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner)Psychiatric Clinical Nurse Specialist (Psychiatric CNS)
Background

A registered nurse (RN) is a healthcare professional who has graduated or successfully passed a nursing program from a recognized nursing school and met the requirements outlined by a country, state, province or similar government-authorized licensing body to obtain a nursing license or registration. An RN's scope of practice is determined by legislation and job role, and is regulated by a professional body or council.

Read more on Wikipedia →

Fields of study that lead to this job

Grouped at the 4-digit CIP level, the tier our program pages are built on. Numbers are graduates per year.

Health Professions And Related Programs
CIP 51.38
Registered Nursing
315,273graduates / yr
2,067 schools · 21 specializations · 99.9% of pipeline
Grad earnings $71,623

21 degree programs that lead to this job

Ranked by graduates per year (IPEDS completions). Graduate earnings and debt are College Scorecard figures for people who finished the program, reported at the 4-digit CIP level, so specializations within one field share a figure. That is a different measurement from the occupation-wide wages further down this page.

Degree programs that lead to this occupation, ranked by graduates per year
#ProgramGraduates / yrShare of pipelineSchoolsGrad earnings (1 yr)Median debt
1
Registered Nursing/Registered Nursemain feeder
CIP 51.3801
263,325
83.5%
2,067$71,623$25,750
2
Family Practice Nurse/Nursingmain feeder
CIP 51.3805
14,703
4.7%
293$71,623$25,750
3
Nursing Practicemain feeder
CIP 51.3818
9,384
3.0%
322$71,623$25,750
4
Nursing Administrationmain feeder
CIP 51.3802
7,804
2.5%
198$71,623$25,750
5
Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse/Nursingmain feeder
CIP 51.3810
5,358
1.7%
179$71,623$25,750
6
Nursing Sciencemain feeder
CIP 51.3808
4,605
1.5%
148$71,623$25,750
7
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing, Othermain feeder
CIP 51.3899
3,940
1.2%
99$71,623$25,750
8
Adult Health Nurse/Nursingmain feeder
CIP 51.3803
2,125
0.7%
75$71,623$25,750
9
Public Health/Community Nurse/Nursingmain feeder
CIP 51.3811
934
0.3%
21$71,623$25,750
10
Geriatric Nurse/Nursingmain feeder
CIP 51.3821
680
0.2%
43$71,623$25,750
11
Clinical Nurse Leadermain feeder
CIP 51.3820
588
0.2%
24$71,623$25,750
12
Critical Care Nursingmain feeder
CIP 51.3814
505
0.2%
39$71,623$25,750
13
Pediatric Nurse/Nursingmain feeder
CIP 51.3809
389
0.1%
36$71,623$25,750
14
Women's Health Nurse/Nursingmain feeder
CIP 51.3822
350
0.1%
15$71,623$25,750
15
Perioperative/Operating Room and Surgical Nurse/Nursingmain feeder
CIP 51.3812
150
0.0%
10$71,623$25,750
16
Maternal/Child Health and Neonatal Nurse/Nursingmain feeder
CIP 51.3806
149
0.0%
14$71,623$25,750
17
Clinical Nurse Specialistmain feeder
CIP 51.3813
135
0.0%
22$71,623$25,750
18
Emergency Room/Trauma Nursingmain feeder
CIP 51.3816
83
0.0%
9$71,623$25,750
19
Forensic Nursingmain feeder
CIP 51.3824
26
0.0%
4$71,623$25,750
20
Occupational and Environmental Health Nursingmain feeder
CIP 51.3815
21
0.0%
3$71,623$25,750
21
Palliative Care Nursingmain feeder
CIP 51.3819
19
0.0%
3$71,623$25,750

Top 50 schools by graduates into this job

Counting every feeder program a school offers, not just its largest one.

Schools ranked by graduates per year into this occupation
#SchoolGraduates / yrTop feeder programGrad rateNet priceAcceptance
1Chamberlain University - Illinois
Addison, IL Private for-profit · 7 feeder programs
12,128Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse42%$29,02483%
2Capella University
Minneapolis, MN Private for-profit · 4 feeder programs
10,589Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse20%$19,369—
3Western Governors University
Salt Lake City, UT Private not-for-profit · 5 feeder programs
7,465Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse46%$11,580—
4Walden University
Minneapolis, MN Private for-profit · 8 feeder programs
5,273Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse———
5Grand Canyon University
Phoenix, AZ Private not-for-profit · 6 feeder programs
4,938Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse43%$21,53579%
6The University of Texas at Arlington
Arlington, TX Public · 5 feeder programs
3,684Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse54%—80%
7West Coast University - Anaheim - Orange County
Anaheim, CA Private for-profit · 5 feeder programs
1,639Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse60%$36,879—
8Ivy Tech Community College
Indianapolis, IN Public · 1 feeder programs
1,617Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse40%——
9Galen College of Nursing - Louisville
Louisville, KY Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs
1,608Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse61%——
10Joyce University of Nursing and Health Sciences
Draper, UT Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs
1,474Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse54%$30,92262%
11NUC University
Bayamon, PR Private for-profit · 3 feeder programs
1,405Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse54%$9,377—
12University of South Alabama
Mobile, AL Public · 3 feeder programs
1,374Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse53%—71%
13Purdue University Global
West Lafayette, IN Public · 7 feeder programs
1,332Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse/Nursing50%——
14Nightingale College
Salt Lake City, UT Private for-profit · 2 feeder programs
1,278Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse21%$30,235—
15Aspen University
Phoenix, AZ Private for-profit · 3 feeder programs
1,267Public Health/Community Nurse/Nursing27%——
16Keiser University - Ft Lauderdale
Fort Lauderdale, FL Private not-for-profit · 4 feeder programs
1,266Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse61%$35,48397%
17Ohio University - Main Campus
Athens, OH Public · 5 feeder programs
1,215Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse65%—85%
18ECPI University
Virginia Beach, VA Private for-profit · 2 feeder programs
1,205Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse42%$21,90975%
19Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center
Lubbock, TX Public · 5 feeder programs
1,114Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse———
20University of Alabama at Birmingham
Birmingham, AL Public · 4 feeder programs
1,046Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse64%—88%
21West Coast University - Los Angeles
North Hollywood, CA Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs
1,027Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse———
22South University - Savannah Online
Savannah, GA Private for-profit · 5 feeder programs
1,016Family Practice Nurse/Nursing7%$28,691—
23Weber State University
Ogden, UT Public · 4 feeder programs
1,008Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse46%——
24Miami Regional University
Miami Springs, FL Private for-profit · 3 feeder programs
1,003Family Practice Nurse/Nursing84%$31,560—
25Herzing University - Madison
Madison, WI Private not-for-profit · 7 feeder programs
1,002Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse/Nursing28%$20,96594%
26West Coast University - Ontario
Ontario, CA Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs
994Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse39%$48,053—
27Northern Kentucky University
Highland Heights, KY Public · 3 feeder programs
985Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse52%—68%
28Miami Dade College
Miami, FL Public · 1 feeder programs
977Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse46%——
29University of Cincinnati - Main Campus
Cincinnati, OH Public · 10 feeder programs
969Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse75%—85%
30South College
Knoxville, TN Private for-profit · 3 feeder programs
958Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse42%$20,346—
31University of North Carolina Wilmington
Wilmington, NC Public · 4 feeder programs
953Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse71%—64%
32Rasmussen University - Florida
Ocala, FL Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs
951Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse42%$20,261—
33University of Central Florida
Orlando, FL Public · 2 feeder programs
944Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse78%—40%
34University of Phoenix - Arizona
Phoenix, AZ Private for-profit · 4 feeder programs
907Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse21%$15,478—
35Excelsior University
Albany, NY Private not-for-profit · 3 feeder programs
897Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse———
36Texas Woman's University
Denton, TX Public · 4 feeder programs
844Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse49%—96%
37Central Georgia Technical College
Warner Robins, GA Public · 1 feeder programs
828Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse47%——
38The University of Texas at Tyler
Tyler, TX Public · 6 feeder programs
810Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse54%—94%
39Frontier Nursing University
Versailles, KY Private not-for-profit · 4 feeder programs
790Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse/Nursing———
40Galen College of Nursing - San Antonio
San Antonio, TX Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs
779Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse81%$31,019—
41Jersey College
Teterboro, NJ Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs
773Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse45%$29,25568%
42Nova Southeastern University
Fort Lauderdale, FL Private not-for-profit · 3 feeder programs
759Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse63%$31,67273%
43Post University
Waterbury, CT Private for-profit · 5 feeder programs
753Nursing Administration25%$14,659—
44Emory University
Atlanta, GA Private not-for-profit · 7 feeder programs
743Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse91%$20,58611%
45Arkansas State University
Jonesboro, AR Public · 4 feeder programs
733Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse55%—82%
46Southern New Hampshire University
Manchester, NH Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs
729Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse43%$34,565100%
47William Paterson University of New Jersey
Wayne, NJ Public · 3 feeder programs
726Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse44%—90%
48Maryville University of Saint Louis
Saint Louis, MO Private not-for-profit · 8 feeder programs
719Family Practice Nurse/Nursing66%$24,92195%
49Samuel Merritt University
Oakland, CA Private not-for-profit · 4 feeder programs
719Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse———
50United States University
Sandy Springs, CA Private for-profit · 4 feeder programs
717Family Practice Nurse/Nursing—$21,557—

What registered nurses earn

What people already working in this job earn (BLS OEWS May 2025). Not graduate earnings.

Median annual wage
$97,550
Mean annual
$101,420
Median hourly
$46.90/hr
People employed
3,379,720
What the range looks like
10th pct$68,940Median$97,55090th pct$137,470

Top-paying metro areas

San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA
$216,740median
22,930 jobs
Vallejo, CA
$203,290median
4,120 jobs
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA
$186,610median
41,750 jobs
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA
$174,550median
3,720 jobs
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA
$171,460median
23,590 jobs
Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA
$170,960median
1,750 jobs
Yuba City, CA
$149,320median
1,080 jobs
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA
$138,820median
2,180 jobs

Job outlook

Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections, 2024 to 2034.

Projected growth 2024–34
+4.9%
About as fast as average
Openings per year
189,100
new jobs plus replacements
Employment change
166,100
3,391,000 → 3,557,100
Typical entry education
Bachelor's degree

Where the jobs are, state by state

Pick a state for in-state pay, the schools there, and the programs they run.

This occupation state by state: pay, jobs, and schools
StateMedian payJobsConcentrationSchoolsGraduates / yr
Texas$95,970271,3800.89×12023,358
Florida$84,190229,9401.07×10221,802
California$140,270338,9400.86×16121,443
Minnesota$101,51070,1101.09×5020,716
Illinois$95,990138,9101.05×8419,623
New York$109,440205,8100.98×11215,639
Utah$84,60027,4200.73×1913,669
Arizona$99,50073,1501.04×3712,353
Ohio$82,510143,7301.19×11312,146
Pennsylvania$96,430146,5201.11×9410,711
Georgia$93,550100,9500.95×598,404
North Carolina$84,350111,1201.03×917,758
Kentucky$81,04050,3001.16×437,217
Virginia$93,60077,4900.87×647,209
Alabama$77,08054,3401.18×406,988
Indiana$83,50068,9800.99×346,883
New Jersey$106,50092,6800.99×516,544
Michigan$94,300104,9501.10×596,516
Tennessee$81,50072,2001.01×486,304
Massachusetts$104,55088,2001.12×465,587
Wisconsin$95,53068,0601.06×445,497
Missouri$81,78076,3101.20×555,352
Washington$124,20069,2600.90×414,038
Maryland$99,79052,9100.88×284,020
Connecticut$102,74040,1101.09×153,878
Louisiana$80,23048,9701.16×303,617
South Carolina$82,36049,7500.99×373,614
Colorado$100,26054,4900.87×273,577
Oklahoma$82,92038,2701.03×303,338
Arkansas$78,94029,4001.04×363,201
Mississippi$77,09029,0601.15×242,811
Iowa$78,63034,4201.02×352,558
Nevada$103,67027,0700.80×142,392
Kansas$79,32033,8001.08×382,359
West Virginia$80,13023,4301.54×252,288
New Hampshire$99,70015,3901.04×181,880
Oregon$129,01039,7300.93×231,848
Nebraska$84,73024,7201.11×161,726
Idaho$92,46016,8800.91×121,658
New Mexico$94,34017,9800.95×211,446
Maine$86,99016,5401.19×151,195
Rhode Island$100,64010,0900.93×6973
North Dakota$80,73011,3401.21×13965
Delaware$99,52014,2901.36×5910
South Dakota$78,06014,7101.48×12873
District of Columbia$102,54011,4400.75×6857
Hawaii$136,32012,9400.95×8691
Montana$85,28010,9500.99×13677
Vermontmoderate$97,4607,4101.12×3449
Wyoming$83,7605,3300.87×8418
Alaskamoderate$109,4807,5101.06×3209

Skills and tools

From O*NET, the U.S. Department of Labor's occupational database. Importance is a 1 to 5 scale.

What they do day to day

  • Record patients' medical information and vital signs.
  • Administer medications to patients and monitor patients for reactions or side effects.
  • Maintain accurate, detailed reports and records.
  • Monitor, record, and report symptoms or changes in patients' conditions.
  • Provide health care, first aid, immunizations, or assistance in convalescence or rehabilitation in locations such as schools, hospitals, or industry.
  • Consult and coordinate with healthcare team members to assess, plan, implement, or evaluate patient care plans.
  • Direct or supervise less-skilled nursing or healthcare personnel or supervise a particular unit.
  • Monitor all aspects of patient care, including diet and physical activity.

Skills

  • Speaking4.1
  • Active Listening4.0
  • Critical Thinking4.0
  • Reading Comprehension4.0
  • Monitoring4.0
  • Active Learning3.9
  • Writing3.8
  • Learning Strategies3.4

Knowledge areas

  • Medicine and Dentistry4.6
  • Psychology4.3
  • English Language4.3
  • Customer and Personal Service4.1
  • Education and Training3.9
  • Therapy and Counseling3.9

Abilities

  • Problem Sensitivity4.2
  • Oral Comprehension4.2
  • Oral Expression4.1
  • Deductive Reasoning4.1
  • Written Comprehension4.0
  • Inductive Reasoning4.0

Core activities

  • Assisting and Caring for Others4.8
  • Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge4.6
  • Making Decisions and Solving Problems4.6
  • Documenting/Recording Information4.6
  • Getting Information4.5
  • Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates4.4

Tools and technology

hotmarks an O*NET hot technology
Microsoft Office softwarehoteClinicalWorks EHR softwarehotMicrosoft ExcelhotMicrosoft OutlookhotMicrosoft WordhotMicrosoft AccesshotMicrosoft PowerPointhotAllscripts Professional EHRAmkai AmkaiChartsBizmatics PrognoCIS EMR

How to get in

How to become a Registered Nurse

Job zone 4 of 5 · SVP 7.0 to < 8.0
Typical entry education
Bachelor's degree

Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.

A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.

Employees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training.

Every major mapped to this job

The official federal mapping behind the rankings above.

All 21 majors mapped to Registered Nurses21 of them graduated someone in the latest IPEDS year. NCES CIP 2020 → SOC 2018 crosswalk.+
  • 51.3801Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse
  • 51.3802Nursing Administration
  • 51.3803Adult Health Nurse/Nursing
  • 51.3805Family Practice Nurse/Nursing
  • 51.3806Maternal/Child Health and Neonatal Nurse/Nursing
  • 51.3808Nursing Science
  • 51.3809Pediatric Nurse/Nursing
  • 51.3810Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse/Nursing
  • 51.3811Public Health/Community Nurse/Nursing
  • 51.3812Perioperative/Operating Room and Surgical Nurse/Nursing
  • 51.3813Clinical Nurse Specialist
  • 51.3814Critical Care Nursing
  • 51.3815Occupational and Environmental Health Nursing
  • 51.3816Emergency Room/Trauma Nursing
  • 51.3818Nursing Practice
  • 51.3819Palliative Care Nursing
  • 51.3820Clinical Nurse Leader
  • 51.3821Geriatric Nurse/Nursing
  • 51.3822Women's Health Nurse/Nursing
  • 51.3824Forensic Nursing
  • 51.3899Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing, Other

Related careers

Jobs O*NET identifies as close to this one, with their own pay and outlook.

29-1171
Nurse Practitioners
$132,300323,040 jobs+40.1%
29-1223
Psychiatrists
$281,87027,980 jobs+6.1%
29-2053
Psychiatric Technicians
$45,130156,960 jobs+20.0%
29-2043
Paramedics
$60,600100,610 jobs+5.0%
29-1215
Family Medicine Physicians
$244,180107,510 jobs+2.7%
29-2061
Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses
$64,400648,410 jobs+2.6%

Common questions

What degree do you need to become a Registered Nurse?+

Bachelor's degree is the typical entry-level education BLS reports for this occupation. The most common program people actually graduate from is Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse, which awarded 263,325 degrees in 2024-25, 83.5% of everyone graduating from a program that feeds this career.

Which college majors lead to becoming a Registered Nurse?+

The NCES CIP-to-SOC crosswalk maps 21 programs to this occupation. The largest are Registered Nursing. Together they graduate about 315,273 people a year.

How much do registered nurses earn?+

The median is $97,550 a year (BLS OEWS May 2025). The middle range runs from $68,940 at the 10th percentile to $137,470 at the 90th. This is pay for people already working in the occupation, not the same thing as graduate earnings one year after finishing a degree.

Is demand for registered nurses growing?+

BLS projects a +4.9% change in employment between 2024 and 2034, about as fast as average, with roughly 189,100 openings a year nationally once retirements and job changes are counted.

How many schools offer programs for this career?+

2,140 institutions reported graduates from at least one of the 21 programs that feed this occupation in IPEDS 2024-25. Rankings on this page use graduates per year, because the federal data publishes no enrollment count by program.

What other job titles do registered nurses work under?+

Employers advertise this work under many names. O*NET records Staff Nurse, Charge Nurse, APN (Advanced Practice Nurse), CNS (Clinical Nurse Specialist), Critical Care Nurse Practitioner, Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurse among the most commonly reported, all mapping to SOC 29-1141.

↑ Zoom outAll occupationsHealthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations
Registered Nurses by stateTexasFloridaCaliforniaMinnesotaIllinoisNew YorkUtahArizonaOhioPennsylvaniaGeorgiaNorth Carolina
Related careersNurse PractitionersPsychiatristsPsychiatric TechniciansParamedicsFamily Medicine PhysiciansLicensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses
Programs that lead hereRegistered Nursing

About the data on this page

Rankings use IPEDS completions 2024-25, degrees awarded per year. That is the closest federal measure of how many people a program puts into a career, because no federal dataset publishes enrollment by program. Wages and employment come from BLS OEWS May 2025, growth and openings from BLS Employment Projections 2024-34, and which majors lead to which jobs from the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk. Occupation descriptions, tasks, skills and tools are O*NET 30.3 (CC BY 4.0, U.S. Department of Labor/ETA).

  • BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics

    May 2025

    Wages, employment counts, location quotients and metro breakdowns.

    Official source →

  • BLS Employment Projections

    2024–34

    Projected growth, annual openings and typical entry-level education.

    Official source →

  • IPEDS Completions

    2024-25 (provisional)

    Graduates per year by program and institution — the ranking metric.

    Official source →

  • College Scorecard, Field of Study

    2020-21 cohorts

    Median graduate earnings one year after completion, and median debt.

    Official source →

  • Census Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes

    latest available

    Graduate earnings 1/5/10 years out, where the state participates.

    Official source →

  • NCES CIP 2020 and the CIP-to-SOC 2018 crosswalk

    CIP 2020 / SOC 2018

    Which college programs officially lead to this occupation.

    Official source →

  • O*NET Database 30.3

    30.3

    Tasks, skills, knowledge, tools, job zone and alternate job titles.

    Official source →CC BY 4.0, U.S. Department of Labor / ETA

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