Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing at University of Massachusetts-Amherst

UMass Amherst nursing graduates start strong at $81,452—roughly $1,700 above the Massachusetts median and $6,500 above the national figure. That places them in the 76th percentile nationally, which is solid. However, within Massachusetts, they rank in the 60th percentile, meaning about 40% of Bay State nursing programs produce higher early earnings. The debt load of $29,548 is reasonable, resulting in a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.36, which most graduates can manage comfortably in their first year.

The concerning pattern here is the complete earnings stagnation: four years out, graduates are making essentially the same salary they started with. While nursing salaries are often front-loaded, this flatline is unusual and suggests graduates may not be advancing into higher-paying specialties or leadership roles at the rate seen elsewhere. Compare this to peers at Framingham State, where graduates earn $14,000 more annually, or even Laboure and Simmons graduates who are clearing $85,000-plus.

For a flagship state university with competitive admissions, UMass Amherst delivers a respectable but not exceptional nursing outcome. Your child will graduate with manageable debt and earn a solid income immediately, but shouldn't expect significant salary progression in those critical early career years. If staying in Massachusetts and maximizing earning potential matters most, other state programs show stronger trajectories.