CollegeCostWise

Bachelor's · Brookings, South Dakota

Is Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing at South Dakota State University worth it?

High confidence High confidence: 100+ graduates behind the earnings figures.

The verdict · all families, in-state, half paid with loans

Pays back fast: graduates typically recover the cost in about 2.5 years.

Earnings 1 year after graduating
$81,277
Treasury AY2020-21, AY2021-22 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars
Earnings 4 years after graduating
$83,708
Treasury AY2017-2018, AY2018-2019 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars
Typical federal debt at graduation
$20,500
NSLDS pooled AY2022-23, AY2023-24 cohort
Net cost to graduate, all families
$82k (likely $82k – $107k)
AcadYr 2024-25, reported in IPEDS DCY2025-26
Earnings bump, year 4
$45k a year vs high-school graduates aged 25–34 in SD
2023 ACS 5-year pooled, adjusted to 2024 dollars
Payback
2.5 years (likely 2.2–3.1)
Bump vs net cost plus loan interest
10-year net return
$179k (likely $111k – $220k)
Today's dollars
20-year net return
$625k (likely $543k – $706k)
Today's dollars
Odds of finishing (school-wide)
62%
Fall 2019 or AcadYr 2019-20 cohort (differs by institutional calendar), reported in IPEDS DCY2025-26
Borrowers making progress / in default, 2 years in
not reported / ≤ 5%
NSLDS AY2016-17, AY2017-18 pooled cohorts measured in 2018-19, 2019-20

Change income, residency or loans Compare Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing at other schools

🩺 Getting ready in high school

Students heading toward health & medicine majors like this one often take these classes. Every school offers a different mix, so check with your counselor.

AP classes

  • AP Biology
  • AP Chemistry
  • AP Psychology
  • AP Statistics

IB Higher Level

  • Biology HL
  • Chemistry HL

Build my roadmap 🗺️ Middle school to career, plus high schools near you that offer these classes.

Other majors at South Dakota State University

Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing at other schools in South Dakota