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Health Professions · Nursing Rank #56 of 990

Nursingat University of California-Irvine

Graduates earn $87,715/yr in their first year — about 17.0% above the national Nursing average. Base-case 10-year earnings $1,153K; scenarios range from $964K to $1,158K depending on AI disruption.

Irvine, CA Public Bachelor's Degree
DegreeOutlook Score
89 ELITE
89
Optimistic
86
Pessimistic
Earnings
$87,715
1-year post-graduation
ROI
19.8x
Earnings : in-state tuition
10-yr Base
$1,153K
Cumulative base-case earnings
AI Risk
High
43% task exposure
Program Analysis

What this degree looks like at UC Irvine

University of California-Irvine's Nursing graduates start at $87,715/yr — above the $75,273 national average, though not by a wide margin.

With a 20.2x return on in-state tuition over ten years, the financial case for this program is compelling by virtually any measure.

The 17% difference between AI scenarios reflects partial automation exposure. Some Nursing career paths face displacement, but others in the field are more insulated.

Loan repayment is a non-issue here — $13,500 in median debt clears quickly against $87,715 in annual earnings.

At #56 of 990 programs, this Nursing program outperforms the majority of its peers. The top 10% ranking reflects consistently above-average outcomes.

A 35% earnings increase from $87,715 to $118,467 over five years is solid — not a moonshot, but evidence of normal career advancement.

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
$964K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score86/100
Earnings Multiple16.9x
Base Case
Moderate Integration
$1,153K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score89/100
Earnings Multiple20.2x
Optimistic
AI Augmentation
$1,158K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score89/100
Earnings Multiple20.3x
Earnings Trajectory

10 year projection

Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to UC Irvine'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 UC Irvine 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
Same state (CA)
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 UC Irvine

Other top programs at UC Irvine

Other highest-scoring programs offered at UC Irvine, 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 UC Irvine

What does a 89/100 DegreeOutlook Score mean for Nursing at University of California-Irvine?

At 89/100, this is a high-performing program. The DegreeOutlook Score combines earnings, AI resilience, and ROI — and this program delivers on all three.

Should I worry about AI if I study Nursing at University of California-Irvine?

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.