by our College Data Analytics TeamIn the latest year, 36 U.S. colleges awarded 392 degrees and certificates in School Nursing. Master’s degrees are the most popular award, at 92% of graduates. College Factual ranks 11 schools in its 2027 Best School 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.
Studying School Nursing covers Pediatric Nurse/nursing. A Program That Prepares Registered Nurses To Provide Care For Children From Infancy Through Adolescence. Includes Instruction In The Administration Of Medication And Treatments, Assisting Physicians, Patient Examination And Referral, And Planning And Delivering Health Maintenance And Health Education Programs. Examples: [Pediatric Nurse Practitioner].
Source: IPEDS 2025; College Scorecard July 2026; BLS; O*NET; College Factual rankings 2027. Data as of: July 2026.
Nationwide, school nursing draws strong interest, with 392 degrees awarded annually. 36 colleges award school nursing degrees, an average of 11 graduates per school; the largest program awarded 65.
By level, the 392 awards include 360 master’s degrees and 32 doctorates.
Women earned 96% of school nursing degrees and certificates in the latest year (377 of 392). The largest groups of graduates by race and ethnicity are White (292) and Hispanic or Latino (37).
College Factual ranks 11 schools in its 2027 Best School Nursing Schools ranking, including 9 for master’s degrees and 9 for doctorates. It also ranks school nursing schools within 9 states. In all, 36 colleges offer school nursing programs; compare them by degree level below or in the Best Value School Nursing Colleges ranking, which weighs quality against cost.
The most common school nursing credential is the master’s degree: 360 of the 392 awarded in the latest year. Jobs related to school nursing 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 school nursing degree takes:
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 360 |
| Doctorate | At least 4 years | 32 |
Master’s degree is the most common level of education among workers in jobs related to school nursing, 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 School Nursing, 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 school 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% |
| 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% |
School 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 school nursing 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 |
School Nursing has 22 similar majors in the Health Professions field, which together award 317,661 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 |
| 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 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
