U.S. median for this major: $85,212.
College Scorecard field of study; 36 graduates with earnings reported. A small group, so treat this figure with caution
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 50% 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 $34,309. College Scorecard.
WAU 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 WAU'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 | $17,534 | $79,078 | 1.4 years |
| $30–48k | $15,160 | $68,372 | 1.2 years |
| $48–75k | $19,311 | $87,093 | 1.5 years |
| $75–110k | $22,090 | $99,626 | 1.7 years |
| $110k+ | $21,480 | $96,875 | 1.7 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.5 years, the average time graduates took (25% 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 ($94,173) minus $36,731 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in MD (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $57,442 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 Maryland colleges
Every Maryland college we cover that reports Nursing graduate earnings, highest first. Net price is the school-wide average after grants.
| Rank | College | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt | Avg. net price | Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bowie State University | $103,814 | $25,125 | $19,298 | 38% |
| 2 | Coppin State University | $102,720 | $36,369 | $9,977 | 26% |
| 3 | Notre Dame of Maryland University | $98,587 | $26,000 | $19,169 | 50% |
| 4 | Washington Adventist University | $94,173 | $47,033 | $18,526 | 29% |
| 5 | Hood College | $92,955 | $31,000 | $20,873 | 57% |
| 6 | Stevenson University | $92,710 | $27,000 | $26,505 | 68% |
| 7 | Towson University | $91,044 | $23,378 | $17,413 | 69% |
| 8 | University of Maryland, Baltimore | $89,750 | $21,500 | — | — |
| 9 | Frostburg State University | $86,331 | $22,750 | $16,715 | 50% |
| 10 | Salisbury University | $86,233 | $24,297 | $17,743 | 68% |
| 11 | Morgan State University | $78,700 | — | $14,985 | 41% |
1 more Maryland college offers Nursing but has 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 WAU, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About WAU
- Acceptance rate: 46% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 29% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $64,249
- Full cost breakdown · all 39 majors · overview
Related majors at WAU
- Health Administration—
- Allied Health (Imaging / Therapy / Tech)—
WAU Nursing questions
How much do WAU Nursing graduates earn?
Nursing graduates of Washington Adventist University earn a median $94,173 four years after graduating and $85,352 one year after. The U.S. median for Nursing graduates across 858 colleges is $85,212.
How much debt do WAU Nursing graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Nursing graduates of Washington Adventist University is $47,033, about 50% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $27,000.
Is WAU a good school for Nursing in Maryland?
On pay, Nursing graduates of Washington Adventist University earn $94,173 four years out, $1,463 above the median for the same major across 11 Maryland colleges ($92,710) and $8,961 above the U.S. median ($85,212). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does WAU rank for Nursing in Maryland?
Of 11 Maryland colleges reporting Nursing graduate earnings, Washington Adventist University ranks 4th. The highest is Bowie State University at $103,814.
What jobs do Nursing graduates get?
A common career is registered nurse, with a median wage of $102,710 in the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 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: “Washington Adventist University Nursing: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/washington-adventist-university/majors/nursing (College Scorecard and BLS data).