Bachelor’s Degrees in Nursing
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Education Levels of Nursing Majors
In 2018-2019, 154,540 earned their bachelor's degree in nursing. This makes it the 2nd most popular bachelor's degree program in the country.
The following table shows the number of diplomas awarded in nursing at each degree level.
Education Level | Number of Grads |
---|---|
Bachelor’s Degree | 154,540 |
Associate’s Degree | 83,213 |
Master’s Degree | 51,213 |
Doctor’s Degree | 8,781 |
Graduate Certificate | 3,386 |
Undergraduate Certificate | 2,700 |
Basic Certificate | 1,476 |
Earnings of Nursing Majors With Bachelor’s Degrees
The median salary for graduates holding a bachelor's degree in nursing is $61,050. This number may vary for a lot of reasons. For instance, you may decide to move to a location where people with your degree are rare and make more money.
A better approximation of salary is to look at the typical range of salaries. In this case the low is $56,400 and the high is $67,800.

Student Debt
The median student debt for graduates holding a bachelor's degree in nursing is $23,387. The length of time it takes you to graduate and what college you attend can affect this number quite a bit.
The chart below shows the range of accumulated debt loads. On the high side of the range, $26,635 is the debt load, and the debt load on the low side is $18,455.

Those students who are paying back their debt on a 10-year repayment plan have a median monthly payment of $243.
Student Diversity
More women than men pursue their bachelor's degree in nursing. About 86.8% of graduates with this degree are female.
Gender | Number of Grads |
---|---|
Men | 20,457 |
Women | 134,083 |

The racial-ethnic distribution of nursing bachelor’s degree students is as follows:
Race/Ethnicity | Number of Grads |
---|---|
Asian | 10,024 |
Black or African American | 14,526 |
Hispanic or Latino | 19,806 |
White | 96,256 |
International Students | 1,111 |
Other Races/Ethnicities | 12,817 |

Most Popular Nursing Programs for Bachelor’s Degrees
There are 1,144 colleges that offer a bachelor’s degree in nursing. Learn more about the most popular 20 below:
The most popular school in the United States for nursing students seekinga bachelor's degree is Western Governors University. Roughly 121,400 attend the school each year. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $6,380 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $7,500 per year.
The nursing program at Western Governors University awarded 9,573 bachelor's degrees during the 2018-2019 school year. About 90% of this group were women, and 24% were students from an underrepresented racial-ethnic group.
Chamberlain University - Illinois comes in at #2 on our list of the most popular colleges offering bachelor's degrees in nursing. Roughly 27,600 attend the school each year. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $18,890 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $13,000 per year.
For the 2018-2019 academic year, 7,915 bachelor's degrees were handed out to nursing majors at Chamberlain - Illinois. Of these students, 89% were women and 32% were members of underrepresented racial-ethnic groups.
Grand Canyon University is the 3rd most popular school in the nation for students seeking a bachelor's degree in nursing. Each year, around 90,200 students seeking various degrees attend the university. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $16,419 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $10,175 per year.
For the 2018-2019 academic year, 4,367 bachelor's degrees were handed out to nursing majors at Grand Canyon University. Of these students, 88% were women and 45% were members of underrepresented racial-ethnic groups.
The 4th most popular school in the country for nursing majors who are seeking their bachelor's degree is The University of Texas at Arlington. Each year, around 47,800 students seeking various degrees attend the university. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $8,624 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $8,474 per year.
For the 2018-2019 academic year, 3,811 bachelor's degrees were handed out to nursing majors at UT Arlington. Around 48% of these students were from an underrepresented racial-ethnic group, and 84% were women.
Ohio University - Athens Campus is the 5th most popular school in the nation for students seeking a bachelor's degree in nursing. Each year, around 28,400 students seeking various degrees attend the university. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $12,612 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $9,444 per year.
During the 2018-2019 academic year, 2,464 people received their bachelor's degree in nursing from OHIO Athens. Around 15% of these students were from an underrepresented racial-ethnic group, and 88% were women.
The 6th most popular school in the country for nursing majors who are seeking their bachelor's degree is Capella University. Roughly 37,100 attend the school each year. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $14,148 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $14,767 per year.
During the 2018-2019 academic year, 1,338 people received their bachelor's degree in nursing from Capella University. About 91% of this group were women, and 18% were students from an underrepresented racial-ethnic group.
Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center is the 7th most popular school in the nation for students seeking a bachelor's degree in nursing. Each year, around 5,000 students seeking various degrees attend the university. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $6,417 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $6,168 per year.
The nursing program at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center awarded 1,150 bachelor's degrees during the 2018-2019 school year. Of these students, 85% were women and 32% were members of underrepresented racial-ethnic groups.
National University College comes in at #8 on our list of the most popular colleges offering bachelor's degrees in nursing. Roughly 11,200 attend the school each year. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $6,300 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $3,510 per year.
For the 2018-2019 academic year, 1,038 bachelor's degrees were handed out to nursing majors at National University College. About 78% of this group were women, and 99% were students from an underrepresented racial-ethnic group.
Walden University comes in at #9 on our list of the most popular colleges offering bachelor's degrees in nursing. Each year, around 50,300 students seeking various degrees attend the university. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $10,428 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $12,039 per year.
For the 2018-2019 academic year, 1,028 bachelor's degrees were handed out to nursing majors at Walden University. Of these students, 90% were women and 25% were members of underrepresented racial-ethnic groups.
Southern New Hampshire University is the 10th most popular school in the nation for students seeking a bachelor's degree in nursing. Each year, around 104,000 students seeking various degrees attend the university. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $30,756 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $18,810 per year.
During the 2018-2019 academic year, 931 people received their bachelor's degree in nursing from SNHU. About 92% of this group were women, and 15% were students from an underrepresented racial-ethnic group.
University of North Carolina at Wilmington is the 11th most popular school in the nation for students seeking a bachelor's degree in nursing. Roughly 16,700 attend the school each year. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $4,443 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $4,719 per year.
The nursing program at University of North Carolina at Wilmington awarded 789 bachelor's degrees during the 2018-2019 school year. Of these students, 92% were women and 19% were members of underrepresented racial-ethnic groups.
The 12th most popular school in the country for nursing majors who are seeking their bachelor's degree is Purdue University Northwest. Each year, around 10,400 students seeking various degrees attend the university. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $6,803 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $5,868 per year.
For the 2018-2019 academic year, 782 bachelor's degrees were handed out to nursing majors at Purdue Northwest. Of these students, 87% were women and 27% were members of underrepresented racial-ethnic groups.
The 13th most popular school in the country for nursing majors who are seeking their bachelor's degree is West Coast University - Orange County. Each year, around 3,400 students seeking various degrees attend the university. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $25,615 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $9,521 per year.
During the 2018-2019 academic year, 684 people received their bachelor's degree in nursing from West Coast University - Orange County. Around 75% of these students were from an underrepresented racial-ethnic group, and 80% were women.
University of Central Florida is the 14th most popular school in the nation for students seeking a bachelor's degree in nursing. Roughly 68,400 attend the school each year. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $4,478 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $6,916 per year.
For the 2018-2019 academic year, 669 bachelor's degrees were handed out to nursing majors at UCF. About 84% of this group were women, and 39% were students from an underrepresented racial-ethnic group.
Aspen University is the 15th most popular school in the nation for students seeking a bachelor's degree in nursing. Roughly 5,400 attend the school each year. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $3,600 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $3,900 per year.
During the 2018-2019 academic year, 661 people received their bachelor's degree in nursing from Aspen University. About 91% of this group were women, and 13% were students from an underrepresented racial-ethnic group.
The 16th most popular school in the country for nursing majors who are seeking their bachelor's degree is California State University - San Marcos. Each year, around 15,900 students seeking various degrees attend the university. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $5,742 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $7,176 per year.
During the 2018-2019 academic year, 636 people received their bachelor's degree in nursing from CSUSM. Of these students, 83% were women and 41% were members of underrepresented racial-ethnic groups.
The 17th most popular school in the country for nursing majors who are seeking their bachelor's degree is Drexel University. Each year, around 24,600 students seeking various degrees attend the university. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $52,146 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $35,181 per year.
The nursing program at Drexel University awarded 630 bachelor's degrees during the 2018-2019 school year. Around 27% of these students were from an underrepresented racial-ethnic group, and 86% were women.
University of Phoenix - Arizona is the 18th most popular school in the nation for students seeking a bachelor's degree in nursing. Roughly 95,700 attend the school each year. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $9,552 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $16,752 per year.
The nursing program at University of Phoenix - Arizona awarded 614 bachelor's degrees during the 2018-2019 school year. Of these students, 90% were women and 25% were members of underrepresented racial-ethnic groups.
The 19th most popular school in the country for nursing majors who are seeking their bachelor's degree is American Sentinel University. Each year, around 2,600 students seeking various degrees attend the university. The average in-state tuition for full-time undergraduates is $10,800 per year, while in-state graduate students, on average, pay $6,540 per year.
For the 2018-2019 academic year, 592 bachelor's degrees were handed out to nursing majors at American Sentinel University. Around 21% of these students were from an underrepresented racial-ethnic group, and 89% were women.
The 20th most popular school in the country for nursing majors who are seeking their bachelor's degree is West Coast University - Los Angeles. Each year, around 1,900 students seeking various degrees attend the university. During the 2018-2019 academic year, 587 people received their bachelor's degree in nursing from West Coast University - Los Angeles. Around 65% of these students were from an underrepresented racial-ethnic group, and 79% were women.
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Related Majors
Below are some popular majors that are similar to nursing that offer bachelor’s degrees.
Major | Annual Degrees Awarded |
---|---|
Health/Medical Admin Services | 17,317 |
Public Health | 16,962 |
Health Sciences & Services | 16,503 |
Communication Sciences | 11,326 |
Allied Health Professions | 11,092 |
References
*The racial-ethnic minority student count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students, international students, and students whose race/ethnicity was unknown. This number is then divided by the total number of students at the school to obtain the percentage of racial-ethnic minorities.
- College Factual
- National Center for Education Statistics
- O*NET Online
- Bureau of Labor Statistics
- Image Credit: By Aleksahgabrielle under License
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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