Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing at Oregon Health & Science University

OHSU's nursing program delivers exceptional national outcomes but faces stiff in-state competition. With graduates earning $92,371 in their first year—ranking in the 95th percentile nationally—this program significantly outperforms the national median of $74,888. However, the Oregon nursing market is highly competitive, and OHSU ranks only in the 40th percentile among state programs, with three other Oregon schools producing higher-earning graduates.

The debt picture is reasonable at $32,059, creating a manageable debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.35. More concerning is the slight earnings decline from year one to year four, dropping to $89,905—unusual in a field where experience typically drives salary growth. This could reflect market saturation in Portland or career path choices that prioritize other factors over maximum earnings.

Despite ranking middle-of-the-pack in Oregon, OHSU offers solid value for a nursing degree. The combination of strong national performance, reasonable debt levels, and the prestige of a major academic medical center creates good career prospects. However, if your child can gain admission to Bushnell or Linfield (which show $10,000+ higher earnings), those might offer better financial returns. OHSU remains a strong choice, particularly for students interested in research or specialized nursing roles where the university's medical center connections provide unique opportunities.