Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing at Robert Morris University

Robert Morris nursing graduates start at $67,518—roughly $11,000 below the Pennsylvania median and $7,000 below the national average for nursing programs. While this places the program in the 40th percentile within Pennsylvania, that's still behind more than half of the state's nursing schools, including regional competitors like La Salle and Drexel that post starting salaries in the mid-$80,000s. The concerning part isn't just the lower starting point—it's that earnings barely budge over the next four years, climbing just $1,200 while peers elsewhere typically see stronger advancement.

The $27,000 debt load is manageable and right at the national median, keeping the debt-to-earnings ratio at a reasonable 0.40. The problem is that nursing is meant to be a reliably high-earning field, yet these graduates are earning 15% less than typical nursing grads nationally. Given Robert Morris's 91% admission rate and relatively modest outcomes, families should ask whether this program offers enough value when Pennsylvania has 52 nursing programs to choose from, many with significantly stronger earning trajectories. If your child can gain admission to a higher-ranked nursing program in-state, the salary difference over a career could easily dwarf any convenience or familiarity factors Robert Morris might offer.