Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing at UPMC Jameson School of Nursing

UPMC Jameson graduates earn about $60,000 in their first year—roughly $7,000 below Pennsylvania's median for nursing programs and sitting at just the 15th percentile nationally. While the school sits near the middle of the pack statewide (40th percentile), that's cold comfort when top Pennsylvania nursing programs like St. Luke's and Reading Hospital consistently produce graduates earning $70,000+. The small sample size (under 30 graduates tracked) means these figures could shift with more data, but the pattern of flat earnings between year one and year four suggests limited room for growth in this regional market.

The debt load of $24,750 is reasonable and tracks closely with both state and national medians, making the debt-to-earnings ratio acceptable at 0.41. A third of students receive Pell grants, indicating the school serves working-class families for whom managing even moderate debt matters. The real question is opportunity cost: nursing is typically a reliable career path, but these earnings suggest graduates may be working in lower-paying facilities or markets compared to peers from other Pennsylvania programs.

If your child is committed to staying in the New Castle area and values the school's 74% admission rate, this program delivers an entry ticket to nursing at a manageable cost. But families should recognize they're accepting below-average earnings for Pennsylvania nurses, potentially leaving $10,000-15,000 annually on the table compared to better-performing programs in the state.