Home Schools Samford University Nursing
Health Professions · Nursing Rank #813 of 990

Nursingat Samford University

Graduates earn $64,226/yr in their first year — about 15.0% below the national Nursing average. Base-case 10-year earnings $691K; scenarios range from $623K to $693K depending on AI disruption.

Birmingham, AL Private nonprofit Bachelor's Degree
DegreeOutlook Score
68 SOLID
68
Optimistic
66
Pessimistic
Earnings
$64,226
1-year post-graduation
ROI
3.7x
Earnings : tuition
10-yr Base
$691K
Cumulative base-case earnings
AI Risk
High
43% task exposure
Program Analysis

What this degree looks like at Samford University

Samford University's Nursing program produces graduates earning $64,226/yr — within striking distance of the $75,273 national average for this field.

An earnings multiple of 4.5x means ten-year projected earnings exceed tuition, but not by a dramatic margin. Returns are positive but modest.

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 10% gap from the optimistic case.

Loan repayment is a non-issue here — $25,000 in median debt clears quickly against $64,226 in annual earnings.

Ranked #813 of 990 Nursing programs, Samford University falls below the median. Stronger options exist, though cost and location may compensate.

Five-year earnings of $71,186 are relatively flat compared to the $64,226 starting salary — typical of fields with stable but capped salary bands.

AI Outlook Integration

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.

Pessimistic
Mass Automation
$623K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score66/100
Earnings Multiple4.1x
Base Case
Moderate Integration
$691K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score68/100
Earnings Multiple4.5x
Optimistic
AI Augmentation
$693K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score68/100
Earnings Multiple4.5x
Earnings Trajectory

10 year projection

Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to Samford University's starting earnings; optimistic and pessimistic adjust for AI's effect on each career path this major feeds into.

Career Paths

Where Nursing graduates typically work

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.

1
Nurse anesthetists
+8.6% 10-yr growth · 2,700 openings/yr
$223,210/yr
Low
2
Nurse practitioners
+40.1% 10-yr growth · 29,500 openings/yr
$129,210/yr
Moderate
3
Nurse midwives
+11.1% 10-yr growth · 500 openings/yr
$128,790/yr
Moderate
4
Medical and health services managers
+23.2% 10-yr growth · 62,100 openings/yr
$117,960/yr
Moderate
5
Registered nurses
+4.9% 10-yr growth · 189,100 openings/yr
$93,600/yr
Moderate
6
Nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondary
+16.8% 10-yr growth · 8,600 openings/yr
$79,940/yr
Moderate
Source: BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics, May 2024. AI exposure from OpenAI GPTs-are-GPTs and Felten AIOE research.
Compare & Explore

Peer schools offering Nursing

How Samford University stacks up against other schools offering this major.

Highest earnings
Sonoma State University
CA · Public
91
DW Score
$126K
1-yr earn
39.1x
ROI
California State University-East Bay
CA · Public
91
DW Score
$124K
1-yr earn
56.0x
ROI
Samuel Merritt University
CA · Private nonprofit
67
DW Score
$119K
1-yr earn
California State University-Stanislaus
CA · Public
91
DW Score
$119K
1-yr earn
38.2x
ROI
Pacific Union College
CA · Private nonprofit
82
DW Score
$119K
1-yr earn
8.9x
ROI
Also at Samford University

Other top programs at Samford University

Other highest-scoring programs offered at Samford University, 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 →
FAQ

Frequently asked about Nursing at Samford University

What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Nursing at Samford University?

This program scores 68/100 — a respectable number in isolation, but it ranks in the bottom half of Nursing programs nationally. The field is competitive, and stronger options exist.

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 $622,857 in decade earnings vs $692,788 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.