Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing at Marymount University

Marymount's nursing program gets graduates earning quickly—$80,090 in year one puts them above both the national median ($74,888) and Virginia's median ($76,056). With debt of $29,166, new nurses would need roughly four months of gross income to cover their loans, a manageable burden for a field with strong starting salaries. Among Virginia's 35 nursing programs, Marymount ranks solidly in the 60th percentile, performing better than schools like George Mason while trailing specialized programs at Chamberlain and Shenandoah.

The challenge surfaces in year four, when median earnings slip to $78,648—a 2% decline that suggests some graduates may be staying in entry-level positions or working fewer hours rather than advancing into higher-paid specialties or leadership roles. This isn't unusual in nursing, where lifestyle choices sometimes take precedence over maximizing income, but it does mean the financial trajectory isn't as strong as the initial year suggests.

For parents of prospective nurses, Marymount represents a solid, lower-risk option: below-average debt, above-average starting pay, and access to the robust DC-area healthcare job market. Just understand that the strong start is the story here—don't expect continued upward momentum in earnings without intentional career moves into specialized or administrative roles.