Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing at St Paul's School of Nursing-Queens

St. Paul's delivers some of the highest nursing earnings in the nation at $89,103 within the first year—ranking in the 95th percentile nationally—but those same outcomes place it squarely in the middle of New York's competitive nursing landscape at the 60th percentile statewide. That context matters because while graduates are outearning the vast majority of associate nursing programs across America, they're merely keeping pace with peers at CUNY Hostos and trailing top performers like Cochran School of Nursing by over $13,000 annually. The $32,771 in typical debt is notably higher than both state and national medians, though the 0.37 debt-to-earnings ratio remains manageable given first-year salaries.

The real question is whether these outcomes justify premium pricing when comparable or better results are available across the New York metro area. Graduates do see steady earnings growth to $96,697 by year four, and nearly half the student body receives Pell grants, suggesting the program serves working-class students who successfully enter a high-demand field. But for New York families weighing options, this isn't a standout program—it's a solid middle-of-the-pack choice that gets students to good nursing salaries at above-average cost. If your child has admission offers from multiple New York nursing programs, compare the debt loads carefully; the first-year salary advantage here doesn't appear large enough to justify significantly higher borrowing.