by our College Data Analytics TeamIn the latest year, 2,067 U.S. colleges awarded 263,353 degrees and certificates in Registered Nursing. Bachelor’s degrees are the most popular award, at 57% of graduates. College Factual ranks 1,968 schools in its 2027 Best Registered Nursing 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 Registered Nursing involves the study of Registered Nursing/registered Nurse. A Program That Generally Prepares Individuals In The Knowledge, Techniques And Procedures For Promoting Health, Providing Care For Sick, Disabled, Infirmed, Or Other Individuals Or Groups. Includes Instruction In The Administration Of Medication And Treatments, Assisting A Physician During Treatments And Examinations, Referring Patients To Physicians And Other Health Care Specialists, And Planning Education For Health Maintenance. Examples: [Nursing (Asn)], [Nursing (Bsn, Bscn)], [Nursing (Msn, Mscn, Mn)], [Registered Nurse (Rn)].
Source: IPEDS 2025; College Scorecard July 2026; BLS; O*NET; College Factual rankings 2027. Data as of: July 2026.
Across the country, registered nursing is a widely-pursued major, with 263,353 degrees awarded annually. 2,067 colleges award registered nursing degrees, an average of 127 graduates per school; the largest program awarded 9,210.
By level, the 263,353 awards include 2,737 certificates, 88,840 associate degrees, 148,891 bachelor’s degrees, 21,912 master’s degrees and 939 doctorates.
Women earned 86% of registered nursing degrees and certificates in the latest year (226,863 of 263,353). The largest groups of graduates by race and ethnicity are White (131,874) and Hispanic or Latino (46,841), and international students earned 2,637.
College Factual ranks 1,968 schools in its 2027 Best Registered Nursing Schools ranking, including 1,061 for associate degrees, 1,045 for bachelor’s degrees, 398 for master’s degrees and 243 for doctorates. It also ranks registered nursing schools within 53 states. In all, 2,067 colleges offer registered nursing programs; compare them by degree level below or in the Best Value Registered Nursing Colleges ranking, which weighs quality against cost.
The most common registered nursing credential is the bachelor’s degree: 148,891 of the 263,353 awarded in the latest year. Jobs related to registered nursing call most for Social Perceptiveness, Speaking and Active Listening, and for knowledge of Psychology, Medicine and Dentistry and English Language, according to O*NET. The most important abilities are Problem Sensitivity, Oral Comprehension and Oral Expression.
Top skills, rated 0–5:
Top knowledge areas, rated 0–5:
How long a registered nursing degree takes:
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate | Varies | 2,737 |
| Associate Degree | 2 years | 88,840 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 148,891 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 21,912 |
| Doctorate | At least 4 years | 939 |
Master’s degree is the most common level of education among workers in jobs related to registered nursing, at 39.4%.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Master’s degree | 39.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree | 29.2% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 11.1% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 9.7% |
| Doctoral degree | 6.0% |
| First professional degree | 1.8% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 1.6% |
| Post-doctoral training | 0.6% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 0.3% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 0.2% |
Source: O*NET Online.
6 occupations are related to Registered Nursing, with an average median salary of $82,259; 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 registered nursing with the most projected jobs is Registered Nurses, at 3,793,806.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurses | 3,793,806 | 10.2% |
| 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% |
Registered Nursing 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 registered nursing is Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurses, with a median salary of $143,854.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| 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 |
Registered Nursing has 22 similar majors in the Health Professions field, which together award 54,700 degrees a year; the largest are Family Practice Nurse/Nursing (14,704), Nursing Practice (9,385) and Nursing Administration (7,806). Browse all Health Professions majors or the full list of college majors.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Family Practice Nurse/Nursing | 14,704 |
| Nursing Practice | 9,385 |
| Nursing Administration | 7,806 |
| 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.
