by our College Data Analytics Team
[Nursing](/majors/health-care-professions/nursing/) programs reward a close look at where graduates go on to earn the most. The highest-paying schools turn a nursing degree into the strongest early-career earnings.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 100 schools on the early-career earnings of their nursing graduates.
What’s on this page:
If you want to know which schools send nursing graduates into the highest-paying careers, see the list below.
Leading the list is San Jose State University, our #1 for nursing graduate salaries in the United States. San Jose State University is a public school located in the city of San Jose. Students who complete the nursing program here go on to a median salary of roughly $155,843.
California State University East Bay came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying nursing schools. California State University East Bay is a public school located in the suburb of Hayward. Students who complete the nursing program here go on to a median salary of roughly $160,918.
Strong graduate earnings at Samuel Merritt University earned it the #3 place for nursing. Samuel Merritt University is a private not-for-profit school located in the city of Oakland. After graduating, nursing degree recipients from Samuel Merritt University typically earn about $148,857 annually.
San Francisco State University came in at #4 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying nursing schools. Located in the city of San Francisco, San Francisco State University is a public institution. Nursing graduates of San Francisco State University earn a median of about $144,430 a year early in their careers.
A rank of #5 makes Sonoma State University one of the highest-paying schools for nursing. Located in the suburb of Rohnert Park, Sonoma State University is a public institution. After graduating, nursing degree recipients from Sonoma State University typically earn about $131,431 annually.
Pacific Union College placed #6 among the highest-paying schools for nursing. Located in the rural area of Angwin, Pacific Union College is a private not-for-profit institution. Nursing graduates of Pacific Union College earn a median of about $139,771 a year early in their careers.
California State University Sacramento landed the #7 spot for nursing salaries this year. Set in the city of Sacramento, California State University Sacramento is a public institution. After graduating, nursing degree recipients from California State University Sacramento typically earn about $138,606 annually.
Pacific College placed #8 among the highest-paying schools for nursing. Located in the city of Costa Mesa, Pacific College is a private for-profit institution. Students who complete the nursing program here go on to a median salary of roughly $123,355.
California State University Monterey Bay earned the #9 position for nursing graduate earnings this year. Set in the suburb of Seaside, California State University Monterey Bay is a public institution. Nursing graduates of California State University Monterey Bay earn a median of about $132,226 a year early in their careers.
California State University Stanislaus placed #10 among the highest-paying schools for nursing. California State University Stanislaus is a public school located in the suburb of Turlock. After graduating, nursing degree recipients from California State University Stanislaus typically earn about $122,838 annually.
University Of San Francisco placed #11 among the highest-paying schools for nursing. Located in the city of San Francisco, University Of San Francisco is a private not-for-profit institution. Early-career nursing graduates from University Of San Francisco make a median of around $149,741 per year.
Cuny Medgar Evers College placed #12 among the highest-paying schools for nursing. Set in the city of Brooklyn, Cuny Medgar Evers College is a public institution. Nursing graduates of Cuny Medgar Evers College earn a median of about $127,875 a year early in their careers.
Helene Fuld College Of Nursing ranked #13 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying nursing schools. Set in the city of New York, Helene Fuld College Of Nursing is a private not-for-profit institution. After graduating, nursing degree recipients from Helene Fuld College Of Nursing typically earn about $119,898 annually.
Dominican University Of California ranked #14 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying nursing schools. Located in the city of San Rafael, Dominican University Of California is a private not-for-profit institution. Nursing graduates of Dominican University Of California earn a median of about $149,349 a year early in their careers.
Suny Downstate Medical Center landed the #15 spot for nursing salaries this year. Set in the city of Brooklyn, Suny Downstate Medical Center is a public institution. After graduating, nursing degree recipients from Suny Downstate Medical Center typically earn about $122,683 annually.
California State University Chico ranked #16 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying nursing schools. Located in the city of Chico, California State University Chico is a public institution. Nursing graduates of California State University Chico earn a median of about $120,599 a year early in their careers.
Grantham University placed #17 among the highest-paying schools for nursing. Set in the city of LIttle Rock, Grantham University is a public institution. Nursing graduates of Grantham University earn a median of about $115,555 a year early in their careers.
California State University Dominguez Hills ranked #18 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying nursing schools. Set in the city of Carson, California State University Dominguez Hills is a public institution. Early-career nursing graduates from California State University Dominguez Hills make a median of around $122,899 per year.
Cuny Graduate School And University Center ranked #19 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying nursing schools. Cuny Graduate School And University Center is a public school located in the city of New York. Nursing graduates of Cuny Graduate School And University Center earn a median of about $124,159 a year early in their careers.
New York University came in at #20 for nursing graduate earnings this year. New York University is a private not-for-profit school located in the city of New York. Students who complete the nursing program here go on to a median salary of roughly $119,854.
Cuny College Of Staten Island came in at #21 for nursing graduate earnings this year. Set in the city of Staten Island, Cuny College Of Staten Island is a public institution. Nursing graduates of Cuny College Of Staten Island earn a median of about $120,316 a year early in their careers.
Wagner College placed #22 among the highest-paying schools for nursing. Located in the city of Staten Island, Wagner College is a private not-for-profit institution. Early-career nursing graduates from Wagner College make a median of around $118,823 per year.
Cuny Lehman College placed #23 among the highest-paying schools for nursing. Set in the city of Bronx, Cuny Lehman College is a public institution. After graduating, nursing degree recipients from Cuny Lehman College typically earn about $128,057 annually.
California State University Northridge came in at #24 for nursing graduate earnings this year. California State University Northridge is a public school located in the city of Northridge. Early-career nursing graduates from California State University Northridge make a median of around $119,562 per year.
California State University Bakersfield placed #25 among the highest-paying schools for nursing. Set in the city of Bakersfield, California State University Bakersfield is a public institution. Nursing graduates of California State University Bakersfield earn a median of about $111,384 a year early in their careers.
These schools rounded out the top of this year’s highest-paid nursing ranking:
These institutions also earned high marks for nursing graduate pay:
Explore the highest-paying nursing schools at other degree levels:
This list is compiled by College Factual, 2026 edition. The methodology measures the salaries nursing graduates go on to earn early in their careers, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard field-of-study earnings and IPEDS).
Ranking method: College Major Earnings · 100 schools evaluated.
*Salary figures reflect median early-career earnings (about 5 years after graduation) and may vary by how long a person takes to complete their degree.
More about our data sources and methodologies.