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 schools below stand out for the salaries their nursing graduates go on to command.
For its 2026 highest-paid-graduates ranking, College Factual looked at 8 schools to find where nursing graduates earn the most.
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Below are the schools whose nursing graduates go on to earn the most.
For graduate earnings in nursing, no school beat Augustana College South Dakota this year. Augustana College South Dakota is a private not-for-profit school located in the city of Sioux Falls. Nursing graduates of Augustana College South Dakota earn a median of about $76,246 a year early in their careers.
Students chasing top earnings in nursing will find them at University Of South Dakota, which ranked #2. University Of South Dakota is a public school located in the town of Vermillion. Nursing graduates of University Of South Dakota earn a median of about $73,993 a year early in their careers.
Strong graduate earnings at Dakota Wesleyan University earned it the #3 place for nursing. Located in the town of Mitchell, Dakota Wesleyan University is a private not-for-profit institution. Early-career nursing graduates from Dakota Wesleyan University make a median of around $78,645 per year.
Strong graduate earnings at Lake Area Technical Institute earned it the #4 place for nursing. Lake Area Technical Institute is a public school located in the town of Watertown. Nursing graduates of Lake Area Technical Institute earn a median of about $66,233 a year early in their careers.
Strong graduate earnings at South Dakota State University earned it the #5 place for nursing. South Dakota State University is a public school located in the town of Brookings. Nursing graduates of South Dakota State University earn a median of about $72,893 a year early in their careers.
University Of Sioux Falls placed #6 among the highest-paying schools for nursing. University Of Sioux Falls is a private not-for-profit school located in the city of Sioux Falls. Early-career nursing graduates from University Of Sioux Falls make a median of around $69,396 per year.
Southeast Technical Institute ranked #7 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying nursing schools. Located in the city of Sioux Falls, Southeast Technical Institute is a public institution. Nursing graduates of Southeast Technical Institute earn a median of about $62,601 a year early in their careers.
Mount Marty College earned the #8 position for nursing graduate earnings this year. Mount Marty College is a private not-for-profit school located in the town of Yankton. After graduating, nursing degree recipients from Mount Marty College typically earn about $66,551 annually.
This list is compiled by College Factual, 2026 edition. Schools are ranked on the median early-career earnings of their nursing graduates, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard field-of-study earnings and IPEDS).
Ranking method: College Major Earnings · 8 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.