Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing at St. Francis College

St. Francis College nursing graduates start strong at $81,263—well above the national median—but here's the catch: they're still $8,000 behind the typical New York nursing graduate in their first year. That gap matters in a state where nursing salaries run higher than most of the country, and where CUNY schools are producing nurses who earn $30,000+ more annually. With 61 nursing programs across New York competing for hospital positions, starting in the 40th percentile statewide suggests this program isn't opening doors to the best-paying opportunities in the metro area.

The good news: earnings jump 41% by year four to reach $114,191, and the $31,073 in debt represents just five months of first-year salary—a manageable burden that ranks better than 76% of nursing programs nationally. For families who don't qualify for better scholarships at CUNY or SUNY options, this is far from a bad outcome. But it's hard to ignore that programs like CUNY Medgar Evers deliver $35,000 more in annual salary with similar debt loads.

If your child has admission offers from multiple New York nursing programs, compare the net price carefully. The difference between starting at $81,000 versus $115,000 compounds quickly over a career. St. Francis serves its students reasonably well, but it's not competing at the top tier of New York nursing education.