by our College Data Analytics TeamIn the latest year, 148 U.S. colleges awarded 4,606 degrees and certificates in Nursing Science. Associate degrees are the most popular award, at 30% of graduates. College Factual ranks 58 schools in its 2027 Best Nursing Science 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 Science explores Nursing Science. A Research Program That Focuses On The Study Of Advanced Clinical Practices, Research Methodologies, The Administration Of Complex Nursing Services, And That Prepares Nurses To Further The Progress Of Nursing Research Through Experimentation And Clinical Applications. Examples: [Nursing Science (Phd)], [Nursing Science (Ms, Msc, Msn, Mn)].
Source: IPEDS 2025; College Scorecard July 2026; BLS; O*NET; College Factual rankings 2027. Data as of: July 2026.
Nationwide, nursing science is a widely-pursued major, with 4,606 degrees awarded annually. 148 colleges award nursing science degrees, an average of 31 graduates per school; the largest program awarded 454.
By level, the 4,606 awards include 1,404 associate degrees, 1,358 bachelor’s degrees, 1,067 master’s degrees and 777 doctorates.
Women earned 83% of nursing science degrees and certificates in the latest year (3,812 of 4,606). The largest groups of graduates by race and ethnicity are Hispanic or Latino (1,901) and White (1,709), and international students earned 75.
College Factual ranks 58 schools in its 2027 Best Nursing Science Schools ranking, including 13 for associate degrees, 46 for bachelor’s degrees, 41 for master’s degrees and 16 for doctorates. It also ranks nursing science schools within 24 states. In all, 148 colleges offer nursing science programs; compare them by degree level below or in the Best Value Nursing Science Colleges ranking, which weighs quality against cost.
The most common nursing science credential is the associate degree: 1,404 of the 4,606 awarded in the latest year. Jobs related to nursing science 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 a nursing science degree takes:
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Associate Degree | 2 years | 1,404 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 1,358 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 1,067 |
| Doctorate | At least 4 years | 777 |
Master’s degree is the most common level of education among workers in jobs related to nursing science, 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 Nursing Science, 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 nursing science 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% |
Nursing Science 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 science 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 |
Nursing Science has 22 similar majors in the Health Professions field, which together award 313,447 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 |
| 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.
