Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing at San Francisco State University

San Francisco State's nursing program punches well above its weight, placing graduates in the 95th percentile nationally with first-year earnings of $117,532—57% higher than the typical nursing graduate nationwide. What makes this particularly striking is the price: at just $16,875 in median debt (compared to $27,000 nationally), students are paying roughly 40% less than average while earning substantially more. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.14 means graduates earn their entire debt load back in less than two months of work.

Within California's competitive nursing landscape, this program lands solidly in the middle of the pack at the 60th percentile. While it doesn't quite reach the $125,000+ earnings of programs like Sonoma State or CSU East Bay, it holds its own against strong regional competition and costs significantly less—California's median nursing debt is $25,000. The 13% earnings growth to $132,542 by year four shows solid career trajectory, and with 96% admission rate serving 41% Pell-eligible students, the program provides accessible entry to a high-earning profession.

For families weighing nursing programs in California, this represents excellent value: top-tier national outcomes at below-average cost from a highly accessible public university. Your child would graduate with manageable debt into one of the most reliable career paths available.