Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing at Bloomfield College of Montclair State University

Bloomfield College graduates earn significantly more than the national nursing median—$93,291 versus $74,888—and carry manageable debt at $35,000, putting them ahead of most nursing programs nationwide. However, the full picture requires looking at New Jersey's competitive nursing landscape, where this program sits squarely in the middle despite higher-than-average debt. Among the state's 25 nursing programs, Bloomfield ranks at the 60th percentile for earnings, trailing top performers like Montclair State ($104,219) and Kean ($101,039) by roughly $10,000 annually.

The concerning pattern here is the earnings decline: graduates see their income drop 7% between years one and four, from $93,291 to $86,260. This downward trajectory is unusual in nursing, where salaries typically grow steadily with experience. It could signal graduates are starting in higher-paying acute care settings before transitioning to different nursing roles, though the data doesn't clarify why this occurs. The moderate sample size means individual career paths may be skewing these figures.

For families comparing New Jersey nursing programs, Bloomfield delivers solid outcomes—considerably better than most programs nationally, with a debt load that won't hamper financial progress. But if your child can access Montclair State or Kean, those programs offer similar accessibility (both serve high percentages of Pell students) with stronger earning trajectories. Bloomfield makes sense if admitted to these alternatives aren't realistic, but it's not the state's strongest value proposition for nursing.