by our College Data Analytics TeamIn the latest year, 75 U.S. colleges awarded 2,125 degrees and certificates in Adult Health Nurse/Nursing. Master’s degrees are the most popular award, at 88% of graduates. College Factual ranks 33 schools in its 2027 Best Adult Health Nurse/Nursing Schools ranking and compares their cost in a Best Value ranking. Graduates earn a median $82,702 one year after completing, rising to $94,428 after four years.
Studying Adult Health Nurse/Nursing involves the study of Adult Health Nurse/nursing. A Program That Prepares Registered Nurses To Provide General Care For Adult Patients. Includes Instruction In Adult Primary Care, Adult Pathophysiology, Clinical Management Of Medication And Treatments, Patient Assessment And Education, Patient Referral, And Planning Adult Health Maintenance Programs. Examples: [Adult Nurse Practitioner].
Source: IPEDS 2025; College Scorecard July 2026; BLS; O*NET; College Factual rankings 2027. Data as of: July 2026.
Nationwide, adult health nurse/nursing draws strong interest, with 2,125 degrees awarded annually. 75 colleges award adult health nurse/nursing degrees, an average of 28 graduates per school; the largest program awarded 402.
By level, the 2,125 awards include 161 bachelor’s degrees, 1,865 master’s degrees and 99 doctorates.
Women earned 85% of adult health nurse/nursing degrees and certificates in the latest year (1,808 of 2,125). The largest groups of graduates by race and ethnicity are White (1,079) and Hispanic or Latino (380), and international students earned 13.
College Factual ranks 33 schools in its 2027 Best Adult Health Nurse/Nursing Schools ranking, including 31 for bachelor’s degrees, 25 for master’s degrees and 16 for doctorates. It also ranks adult health nurse/nursing schools within 21 states. In all, 75 colleges offer adult health nurse/nursing programs; compare them by degree level below or in the Best Value Adult Health Nurse/Nursing Colleges ranking, which weighs quality against cost.
The most common adult health nurse/nursing credential is the master’s degree: 1,865 of the 2,125 awarded in the latest year. Jobs related to adult health nurse/nursing call most for Social Perceptiveness, Active Listening and Speaking, and for knowledge of Medicine and Dentistry, Psychology and English Language, according to O*NET. The most important abilities are Problem Sensitivity, Oral Expression and Deductive Reasoning.
Top skills, rated 0–5:
Top knowledge areas, rated 0–5:
How long an adult health nurse/nursing degree takes:
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 161 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 1,865 |
| Doctorate | At least 4 years | 99 |
Master’s degree is the most common level of education among workers in jobs related to adult health nurse/nursing, at 44.5%.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Master’s degree | 44.5% |
| Bachelor’s degree | 24.3% |
| Doctoral degree | 10.0% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 8.9% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 7.8% |
| First professional degree | 1.4% |
| Post-doctoral training | 1.4% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 1.3% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 0.3% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 0.2% |
Source: O*NET Online.
7 occupations are related to Adult Health Nurse/Nursing, with an average median salary of $91,600; the strongest outlook belongs to Critical Care Nurses, at 14.4% projected job growth. Typical job titles include Pediatric Oncology Nurse, Psychiatric RN (Psychiatric Registered Nurse), Nurse and Staff Nurse.
The occupation related to adult health nurse/nursing with the most projected jobs is Registered Nurses, at 3,793,806.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurses | 3,793,806 | 10.2% |
| Nurse Practitioners | 2,031,912 | 3.3% |
| Clinical Nurse Specialists | 1,937,405 | 12.3% |
| Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurses | 1,349,827 | 0.0% |
| Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary | 790,445 | 5.7% |
| Critical Care Nurses | 590,563 | 14.4% |
| Acute Care Nurses | 191,452 | 4.1% |
Adult Health Nurse/Nursing graduates earn a median $82,702 one year after completing their program, $94,428 after four years and $90,122 after five years, according to the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $82,702 |
| 4 years | $94,428 |
| 5 years | $90,122 |
Source: College Scorecard.
The highest-paying occupation related to adult health nurse/nursing is Nurse Practitioners, with a median salary of $147,651.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Nurse Practitioners | $147,651 |
| Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurses | $143,854 |
| Registered Nurses | $105,741 |
| Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary | $69,718 |
| Critical Care Nurses | $65,103 |
| Acute Care Nurses | $56,247 |
| Clinical Nurse Specialists | $52,889 |
Adult Health Nurse/Nursing has 22 similar majors in the Health Professions field, which together award 315,928 degrees a year; the largest are Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse (263,353), Family Practice Nurse/Nursing (14,704) and Nursing Practice (9,385). Browse all Health Professions majors or the full list of college majors.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse | 263,353 |
| Family Practice Nurse/Nursing | 14,704 |
| Nursing Practice | 9,385 |
| Nursing Administration | 7,806 |
| Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse/Nursing | 5,359 |
| Nursing Science | 4,606 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing, Other | 3,955 |
| Nurse Anesthetist | 2,183 |
| Public Health/Community Nurse/Nursing | 934 |
| Geriatric Nurse/Nursing | 680 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
