by our College Data Analytics TeamIn the latest year, 198 U.S. colleges awarded 7,806 degrees and certificates in Nursing Administration. Master’s degrees are the most popular award, at 76% of graduates. College Factual ranks 88 schools in its 2027 Best Nursing Administration 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.
A major in Nursing Administration covers Nursing Administration. A Program That Prepares Registered Nurses To Manage Nursing Personnel And Services In Hospitals And Other Health Care Delivery Agencies. Includes Instruction In Principles Of Health Care Administration, Resource And Financial Management, Health Care Law And Policy, Medical Personnel Management, And Managed Care Operations. Examples: [Nursing Administration (Phd)], [Nursing Administration (Msn, Mscn, Ms, Msc, Mn)].
Source: IPEDS 2025; College Scorecard July 2026; BLS; O*NET; College Factual rankings 2027. Data as of: July 2026.
Across the country, nursing administration is a widely-pursued major, with 7,806 degrees awarded annually. 198 colleges award nursing administration degrees, an average of 39 graduates per school; the largest program awarded 1,848.
By level, the 7,806 awards include 1,057 bachelor’s degrees, 5,951 master’s degrees and 798 doctorates.
Women earned 88% of nursing administration degrees and certificates in the latest year (6,860 of 7,806). The largest groups of graduates by race and ethnicity are White (4,405) and Black or African American (1,195), and international students earned 27.
College Factual ranks 88 schools in its 2027 Best Nursing Administration Schools ranking, including 85 for bachelor’s degrees, 80 for master’s degrees and 45 for doctorates. It also ranks nursing administration schools within 33 states. In all, 198 colleges offer nursing administration programs; compare them by degree level below or in the Best Value Nursing Administration Colleges ranking, which weighs quality against cost.
The most common nursing administration credential is the master’s degree: 5,951 of the 7,806 awarded in the latest year. Jobs related to nursing administration 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, Deductive Reasoning and Oral Expression.
Top skills, rated 0–5:
Top knowledge areas, rated 0–5:
How long a nursing administration degree takes:
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 1,057 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 5,951 |
| Doctorate | At least 4 years | 798 |
Master’s degree is the most common level of education among workers in jobs related to nursing administration, at 43.2%.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Master’s degree | 43.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree | 26.7% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 9.7% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 8.4% |
| Doctoral degree | 7.5% |
| First professional degree | 1.6% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 1.1% |
| Post-doctoral training | 1.0% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 0.4% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 0.2% |
| Some college courses | 0.1% |
Source: O*NET Online.
7 occupations are related to Nursing Administration, with an average median salary of $100,149; 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), Staff Nurse and Nurse.
The occupation related to nursing administration 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% |
| Critical Care Nurses | 590,563 | 14.4% |
| Medical and Health Services Managers | 419,330 | 8.8% |
| Acute Care Nurses | 191,452 | 4.1% |
Nursing Administration 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 nursing administration is Nurse Practitioners, with a median salary of $147,651.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Nurse Practitioners | $147,651 |
| Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurses | $143,854 |
| Medical and Health Services Managers | $129,557 |
| Registered Nurses | $105,741 |
| Critical Care Nurses | $65,103 |
| Acute Care Nurses | $56,247 |
| Clinical Nurse Specialists | $52,889 |
Nursing Administration has 22 similar majors in the Health Professions field, which together award 310,247 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 |
| 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 |
| Adult Health Nurse/Nursing | 2,125 |
| Public Health/Community Nurse/Nursing | 934 |
| Geriatric Nurse/Nursing | 680 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
