Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing at Seattle Pacific University

Seattle Pacific's nursing graduates earn above the national median but find themselves in the middle of Washington's competitive nursing market. At $81,671 in first-year earnings, these graduates outpace the national benchmark by nearly $7,000—solid performance nationally. However, within Washington state, they rank in just the 40th percentile, trailing the state median by about $3,500 and sitting well behind programs like Bellevue College ($97,067) and Saint Martin's University ($94,947).

The $27,000 median debt is manageable—equal to the national median and translating to a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.33. However, this debt level is higher than Washington's state median of $23,225, which matters when competing graduates from other state programs often carry less. The modest 2% earnings growth to year four suggests graduates reach their earning potential quickly but see limited advancement in the early career years.

For families paying Seattle Pacific's private tuition, the value calculation requires careful thought. If your child can access comparable in-state options at lower cost, those might deliver better returns. But if Seattle Pacific offers other advantages—location, campus culture, or specific clinical partnerships—the earnings are strong enough nationally to support a reasonable debt load, even if they don't lead the pack locally.