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

Rivier's nursing program graduates earn about $74,300 starting out, but four years later they're making essentially the same amount—placing them below six of the nine nursing programs in New Hampshire. While the $27,000 debt load matches both state and national medians, the lack of earnings progression means graduates fall further behind peers from programs like Southern New Hampshire ($85,600) or even UNH ($77,271) with each passing year.

The core issue isn't the starting salary, which sits near the national median for nursing programs. It's that Rivier graduates at the 40th percentile statewide aren't seeing the growth curve that typically makes nursing financially rewarding. With an 82% admission rate and relatively accessible debt load, Rivier offers an attainable entry point into nursing, but the flat earnings trajectory raises questions about career advancement opportunities or the professional networks graduates develop.

For families choosing between New Hampshire nursing programs, this means weighing Rivier's accessibility against potentially stronger career momentum elsewhere. The difference between Rivier's $74,300 and Southern New Hampshire's $85,600 amounts to roughly $11,000 annually—money that compounds significantly over a nursing career, especially when Rivier's graduates aren't catching up over time.