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

Quinnipiac's nursing graduates earn well above the national median—landing in the 83rd percentile compared to nursing programs nationwide—but here's the catch: they're underperforming within Connecticut itself. At $84,856 in first-year earnings, they're trailing the state median of $86,555 and sitting at just the 40th percentile among Connecticut's 17 nursing programs. Given that most students will work locally after graduation, this in-state comparison matters more than the national ranking. Programs like University of Hartford ($106,348) and even Goodwin University ($89,747) are placing graduates in significantly higher-paying positions.

The debt load is manageable at $27,000—exactly average for both the state and nation—yielding a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.32. That's solid financial footing, and nurses can realistically pay this off within a few years. However, earnings growth is essentially flat at just 3% over four years, suggesting graduates hit their earning potential quickly but don't see much upward trajectory thereafter.

The bottom line: if your child can gain admission to one of Connecticut's higher-performing nursing programs, they should pursue that option for potentially $10,000-20,000+ more in annual earnings. Quinnipiac delivers a safe nursing degree with reasonable debt, but within the competitive Connecticut market, it's a middle-of-the-pack choice that doesn't fully capitalize on the state's strong nursing salaries.