Home Schools St Olaf College Nursing
Health Professions · Nursing Rank #774 of 990

Nursingat St Olaf College

Graduates earn $76,078/yr in their first year — about 1.0% above the national Nursing average. Base-case 10-year earnings $780K; scenarios range from $688K to $782K depending on AI disruption.

Northfield, MN Private nonprofit Bachelor's Degree
DegreeOutlook Score
70 STRONG
70
Optimistic
67
Pessimistic
Earnings
$76,078
1-year post-graduation
ROI
2.6x
Earnings : tuition
10-yr Base
$780K
Cumulative base-case earnings
AI Risk
High
43% task exposure
Program Analysis

What this degree looks like at St Olaf College

Graduates earn $76,078/yr, roughly in line with the $75,273 national median for Nursing. The value proposition here depends on cost, not earnings.

At 3.4x tuition cost in decade earnings, the ROI is moderate. This program pays for itself, but it's not a financial slam-dunk.

The 12% difference between AI scenarios reflects partial automation exposure. Some Nursing career paths face displacement, but others in the field are more insulated.

With first-year pay of $76,078 far exceeding the $27,000 median debt, the payback timeline is measured in months, not years.

A #774 ranking among 990 Nursing programs places St Olaf College in the lower half. Price, proximity, and personal fit become the stronger arguments.

The limited growth from $76,078 to $81,743 over five years suggests earnings in this field plateau relatively early in one's career.

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
$688K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score67/100
Earnings Multiple3.0x
Base Case
Moderate Integration
$780K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score70/100
Earnings Multiple3.4x
Optimistic
AI Augmentation
$782K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score70/100
Earnings Multiple3.4x
Earnings Trajectory

10 year projection

Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to St Olaf College'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 St Olaf College 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 St Olaf College

Other top programs at St Olaf College

Other highest-scoring programs offered at St Olaf College, 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 St Olaf College

What does a 70/100 DegreeOutlook Score mean for Nursing at St Olaf College?

At 70/100, the score looks reasonable — but Nursing is a high-scoring field overall. Compared to peers, this program's earnings and ROI fall below the median.

Should I worry about AI if I study Nursing at St Olaf College?

The 39% AI task exposure score is above average. Our model shows this affecting job availability more than salaries — graduates may face stiffer competition for fewer positions.

What do students actually pay for Nursing at St Olaf College?

The 60% gap between sticker price and net cost means most students pay far less than $227,880. At a net cost of $91,008, the earnings multiple improves substantially.