Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing at Montclair State University

While Montclair State's nursing program shows $104,000 in first-year earnings—placing it in the 95th percentile nationally—the small sample size (under 30 graduates) means these numbers might not reflect the typical graduate's experience. What's more telling is the state comparison: among New Jersey's 25 nursing programs, this sits at the 60th percentile, trailing schools like Kean, Saint Elizabeth, and even Ramapo. For context, the state median for nursing graduates is $90,730, so Montclair does beat that benchmark, but not by the dramatic margin the national ranking suggests.

The debt picture is reasonable at $27,031—right at the national and state medians—giving graduates a manageable 0.26 debt-to-earnings ratio. That means if these earnings hold true, loans would represent just three months of gross income. However, 44% of students receive Pell grants, indicating many families will be stretching to cover even moderate debt loads.

The disconnect between Montclair's 95th percentile national ranking and middle-of-the-pack state position reveals something important: New Jersey nursing programs generally produce strong outcomes. Your child would likely do well here, but with an 87% admission rate and comparable debt, exploring whether higher-earning in-state alternatives like Kean offer similar accessibility makes sense before committing.