U.S. median for this major: $85,212.
College Scorecard field of study; 105 graduates with earnings reported
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 26% of median earnings 4 years out. U.S. median $27,000.
College Scorecard field of study (federal loans)
Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.
Sticker price $26,751. College Scorecard.
KU Nursing: pay against the field, and payback
Same major, other colleges
Median earnings 4 years after graduating; state and U.S. figures are the median of each covered college's graduates in this major. College Scorecard; calculated by EducationGuide.
Cost to finish and years to pay back, by income
Uses KU's school-wide net price (no college reports it by major) and this major's graduate earnings.
| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0–30k | $12,544 | $53,437 | 1.2 years |
| $30–48k | $12,942 | $55,133 | 1.2 years |
| $48–75k | $15,154 | $64,556 | 1.5 years |
| $75–110k | $19,169 | $81,660 | 1.8 years |
| $110k+ | $22,544 | $96,037 | 2.2 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.3 years, the average time graduates took (54% finished in 4 years; students who entered fall 2017, IPEDS). Years to pay back = cost to finish ÷ the earnings gain: median earnings of Nursing graduates 4 years after graduating ($78,601) minus $34,216 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in KS (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $44,385 a year. Before taxes, loan interest and earnings given up while in school. Method
College Scorecard; IPEDS Graduation Rates; U.S. Census Bureau ACS. Calculated by EducationGuide.
Nursing at Kansas colleges
Every Kansas college we cover that reports Nursing graduate earnings, highest first. Net price is the school-wide average after grants. Colleges marked "mostly 2-year" or "bachelor's & associate" award more associate degrees than bachelor's; their bachelor's programs often serve working adults finishing a degree (for example, nurses completing a BSN), so their graduates' earnings can run higher than those of students starting college at 18.
| Rank | College | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt | Avg. net price | Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ottawa University-Ottawa | $92,782 | $34,747 | $27,963 | 28% |
| 2 | Ottawa University-Kansas City | $92,782 | $34,747 | — | — |
| 3 | University of Saint Mary | $85,587 | $29,000 | $22,519 | 48% |
| 4 | Southwestern College | $85,029 | $46,120 | $29,824 | 36% |
| 5 | Fort Hays State University | $79,957 | $24,726 | $12,569 | 48% |
| 6 | Washburn University | $79,109 | $25,250 | $15,280 | 53% |
| 7 | University of Kansas | $78,601 | $20,500 | $18,059 | 69% |
| 8 | MidAmerica Nazarene University | $78,299 | $26,620 | $32,165 | 54% |
| 9 | Baker University | $78,233 | $29,577 | $25,301 | 58% |
| 10 | Hesston Collegebachelor's & associate | $78,050 | $27,000 | $26,299 | 61% |
| 11 | Newman University | $77,122 | $25,500 | $19,971 | 53% |
| 12 | Wichita State University | $75,784 | $27,750 | $13,194 | 51% |
| 13 | Bethel College-North Newton | $75,293 | $27,000 | $32,917 | 41% |
| 14 | Emporia State University | $71,002 | $24,440 | $16,261 | 56% |
| 15 | Pittsburg State Universitybachelor's & associate | $70,657 | $22,791 | $15,784 | 57% |
4 more Kansas colleges offer Nursing but have too few graduates to report earnings.
Careers for Nursing graduates
Registered nurse
Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +5.6% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.
Medical and Health Services Managers
Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +24.2% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35. Careers from the federal major-to-occupation crosswalk.
What families pay at KU, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About KU
- Acceptance rate: 93% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 69% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $61,945
- Full cost breakdown · all 83 majors · overview
Related majors at KU
- Health Administration—
- Allied Health (Imaging / Therapy / Tech)$53,864
- Health Sciences—
- Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration$125,384
KU Nursing questions
How much do KU Nursing graduates earn?
Nursing graduates of University of Kansas earn a median $78,601 four years after graduating and $65,347 one year after. The U.S. median for Nursing graduates across 858 colleges is $85,212.
How much debt do KU Nursing graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Nursing graduates of University of Kansas is $20,500, about 26% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $27,000.
Is KU a good school for Nursing in Kansas?
On pay, Nursing graduates of University of Kansas earn $78,601 four years out, $302 above the median for the same major across 15 Kansas colleges ($78,299) and $6,611 below the U.S. median ($85,212). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does KU rank for Nursing in Kansas?
Of 15 Kansas colleges reporting Nursing graduate earnings, University of Kansas ranks 7th. The highest is Ottawa University-Ottawa at $92,782.
What jobs do Nursing graduates get?
A common career is registered nurse, with a median wage of $78,020 in the Lawrence, KS area and $97,550 nationally. Others include medical and health services managers.
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Sources: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (field of study: median earnings and federal loan debt of graduates who received federal aid); BLS. How we score
Data: JSON · Markdown · all datasets
Cite this: “University of Kansas Nursing: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/university-of-kansas/majors/nursing (College Scorecard and BLS data).