Program Analysis
Salem State University's Nursing graduates start at $80,641/yr — above the $75,273 national average, though not by a wide margin.
Every dollar of in-state tuition returns an estimated 17.9x in decade earnings — an exceptional ratio that places this among the highest-ROI Nursing programs nationally.
Some AI exposure exists in Nursing's typical career paths, with 39% of job tasks potentially affected. The pessimistic scenario still projects solid returns, with a 13% gap from the optimistic case.
Loan repayment is a non-issue here — $27,000 in median debt clears quickly against $80,641 in annual earnings.
At #140 of 990 nationally, this is a top-5% Nursing program. Financial outcomes consistently outperform the vast majority of peers.
Five-year earnings of $89,918 are relatively flat compared to the $80,641 starting salary — typical of fields with stable but capped salary bands.