Nursingat California State University-Northridge
Graduates earn $106,780/yr in their first year — about 42.0% above the national Nursing average. Base-case 10-year earnings $1,117K; scenarios range from $937K to $1,122K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at CSU Northridge
Your nursing degree from CSUN places you squarely in one of the nation's most robust and highest-paying healthcare markets. The sheer volume of hospitals and clinics across the greater Los Angeles area, from large academic medical centers like UCLA Health to extensive networks like Kaiser Permanente and Providence, drives intense demand for skilled registered nurses. This regional demand, coupled with California's strong nurse advocacy and high cost of living, translates directly into competitive compensation for graduates.
CSUN's well-regarded program benefits from strong relationships with these local institutions, often facilitating excellent clinical rotations that can transition directly into job offers post-graduation. You'll enter a field with clear pathways to specialization, management roles, or advanced practice nursing, all of which reflect the high value placed on experienced healthcare professionals. To maximize your earning potential, focus on excelling in your clinical placements and actively networking during rotations, as these experiences are often direct pipelines to your first role and future specialization.
Three scenarios, ten years out
Each scenario is a different assumption about how AI reshapes the career paths this major feeds into. Earnings projections stack the full 10-year cumulative trajectory; scores use the same 0–100 metric as the hero, recomputed under that scenario's assumptions.
10 year projection
Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to CSU Northridge's starting earnings; optimistic and pessimistic adjust for AI's effect on each career path this major feeds into.
Common career destinations for this program's graduates, weighted by the school's specific occupation mix. Salary is BLS national median; AI risk is per-role task-exposure research.
Peer schools offering Nursing
How CSU Northridge stacks up against other schools offering this major.
Other top programs at CSU Northridge
Other highest-scoring programs offered at CSU Northridge, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.
Consider the trade route
Not sure a 4-year degree is the right path? Trade programs in Nursing offer shorter timelines, lower debt, and strong AI resilience for hands-on careers.
Compare Nursing trade programs on TradeSchoolOutlook →Frequently asked about Nursing at CSU Northridge
What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Nursing at California State University-Northridge?
This program scores 91/100 — placing it among the stronger programs for Nursing nationally. The score reflects above-average earnings, manageable AI risk, and solid financial return.
Will AI replace Nursing careers?
With 39% of typical job tasks exposed to AI, this is one of the higher-risk fields. Our pessimistic scenario projects $936,825 in decade earnings vs $1,121,539 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.
What makes California State University-Northridge's Nursing program stand out?
Ranked #10 of 990 programs nationally, California State University-Northridge lands in the top 1%. The ranking reflects a combination of graduate earnings, return on investment, and job market alignment.