Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing at Russell Sage College

Russell Sage College nursing graduates start with respectable earnings of $73,302, but this program faces two significant headwinds. First, new nurses here earn nearly $16,000 less than the New York state median—ranking in just the 25th percentile among the state's 61 nursing programs. When top programs like Helene Fuld and several CUNY schools consistently place graduates above $110,000, that's a substantial gap that compounds over a career. Second, earnings actually decline by 4% over four years rather than growing, an unusual pattern for nursing that suggests limited advancement opportunities or career trajectory issues.

The $27,000 debt load is reasonable and matches both state and national medians, creating a manageable 0.37 debt-to-earnings ratio. For a profession as stable as nursing, this won't be crushing. However, the real cost isn't the debt—it's the opportunity cost of earning $40,000+ less than graduates from stronger New York nursing programs over those first four years alone.

If your child is committed to Russell Sage for other reasons (location, fit, scholarships), they'll become a licensed nurse with manageable debt. But if mobility is an option, New York offers dramatically stronger nursing programs at similar debt levels. The SUNY and CUNY systems, in particular, deliver significantly better earning outcomes for comparable or lower cost.