by our College Data Analytics Team
[Nursing](/majors/health-care-professions/nursing/) is a field where your choice of school can shape what you earn after graduation. The schools below stand out for the salaries their nursing graduates go on to command.
College Factual analyzed 7 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the highest-paying nursing schools.
What’s on this page:
If you want to know which schools send nursing graduates into the highest-paying careers, see the list below.
Bowie State University earned the #1 spot for highest-paid nursing graduates in Maryland. Set in the suburb of Bowie, Bowie State University is a public institution. After graduating, nursing degree recipients from Bowie State University typically earn about $112,683 annually.
Strong graduate earnings at College Of Notre Dame Of Maryland earned it the #2 place for nursing. College Of Notre Dame Of Maryland is a private not-for-profit school located in the city of Baltimore. After graduating, nursing degree recipients from College Of Notre Dame Of Maryland typically earn about $113,745 annually.
Johns Hopkins University came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying nursing schools. Johns Hopkins University is a private not-for-profit school located in the city of Baltimore. Nursing graduates of Johns Hopkins University earn a median of about $137,085 a year early in their careers.
Students chasing top earnings in nursing will find them at Stevenson University, which ranked #4. Stevenson University is a private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Owings Mills. Students who complete the nursing program here go on to a median salary of roughly $112,191.
Strong graduate earnings at University Of Maryland Baltimore earned it the #5 place for nursing. Located in the city of Baltimore, University Of Maryland Baltimore is a public institution. Nursing graduates of University Of Maryland Baltimore earn a median of about $117,561 a year early in their careers.
Towson University landed the #6 spot for nursing salaries this year. Located in the city of Towson, Towson University is a public institution. Students who complete the nursing program here go on to a median salary of roughly $103,756.
Coppin State University ranked #7 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying nursing schools. Coppin State University is a public school located in the city of Baltimore. Early-career nursing graduates from Coppin State University make a median of around $92,743 per year.
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 · 7 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.