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

Nursing graduates from Niagara University start their careers earning about $17,000 less than the typical New York nursing grad—a significant gap in a state known for strong healthcare compensation. At $72,470 in the first year, these earnings land in just the 25th percentile among New York nursing programs, meaning three-quarters of comparable programs in the state produce better outcomes. For context, SUNY and CUNY schools are placing graduates at $110,000+, and even accounting for New York City's concentration of high-paying hospitals, Niagara's numbers trail the state median by nearly 20%.

The debt level of $27,000 is reasonable and matches both state and national medians, yielding a manageable debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.37. However, earnings growth tells a troubling story: graduates see only a 3% increase over four years, reaching $74,348—still well below what peers earn right out of school elsewhere in New York. This suggests limited advancement potential or placement in lower-tier healthcare settings.

For New York families, this program struggles to compete. Your child could attend a SUNY school with comparable admission standards and graduate earning $40,000 more annually. Unless location or specific program factors matter significantly, stronger nursing programs throughout the state offer substantially better return on investment from day one.