Registered Nursing & Nursing Administration at Cabrillo College

Aptos, CA · Public · Certificate · Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing

enrolling 7,404 students in Aptos, CA.

Program Analysis

Graduates of Cabrillo College's Registered Nursing & Nursing Administration program earn $91,090/yr in their first year — 31% above the $69,474 national median, a strong market signal for this institution.

With a 1155.7x return on tuition over ten years, the financial case for this program is compelling by virtually any measure.

Career paths for Registered Nursing & Nursing Administration carry above-average AI exposure (39% of tasks). The 36% scenario spread means the difference between optimistic and pessimistic outcomes is substantial.

At $15,000 in median debt against $91,090 in first-year earnings, graduates can expect to clear their loan balance quickly — a hallmark of affordable trade programs.

Among 947 Registered Nursing & Nursing Administration programs nationally, Cabrillo College ranks #10 — elite territory by any measure of graduate financial outcomes.

A 49% earnings increase from $91,090 to $135,694 over five years is solid — not a moonshot, but evidence of normal career advancement.

For students considering alternatives, 4 registered apprenticeship programs align with Registered Nursing & Nursing Administration careers — offering paid training instead of tuition costs.

91 /100
TradeSchoolOutlook Score
85
Low End
91
Score
92
High End
Earnings $91,090/yr (31% vs median)
AI-Proof Moderate (61% shielded)
Job Market Very Large (292,500 openings/yr)

Earnings Overview

Projected 10-Year Earnings
$1,485K
10.5% annual growth
Earnings Multiple (In-State)
1169.6x
10-year earnings ÷ tuition
Viable Career Paths
6 of 6
Occupations with strong AI resilience

Projected 10-Year Earnings

Based on actual graduate salary data and Bureau of Labor Statistics growth projections.

Program Tuition (In-State)
$1,270
Out-of-state: $9,910
Median Debt at Graduation
$15,000
2.0 months of Year 1 earnings
Reported Earnings (5 Year)
$135,694
49% growth from Year 1

Top Career Paths

Top career paths for Registered Nursing & Nursing Administration graduates by median salary.

Career Path Median Salary Growth AI-ProofAI
Nurse anesthetists $223,210 +8.6% 83%
Nurse practitioners $129,210 +40.1% 52%
Nurse midwives $128,790 +11.1% 61%
Nurse anesthetists
$223,210
+8.6% growth 83% AI-proof
Nurse practitioners
$129,210
+40.1% growth 52% AI-proof
Nurse midwives
$128,790
+11.1% growth 61% AI-proof

View all 6 career paths with full salary data →

About Registered Nursing & Nursing Administration Careers

Your career begins on the front lines as a Registered Nurse. You’ll work in fast-paced hospitals or clinics, monitoring patient vitals on EKG machines, administering medications, and updating electronic health records. After gaining experience, your path can branch. You might pursue advanced clinical practice to become a Nurse Practitioner, where you’ll diagnose conditions, prescribe treatments, and manage your own patient caseload. Alternatively, you could move into leadership as a Health Services Manager, where your day involves managing staff schedules, overseeing budgets, and ensuring your department runs smoothly.

Read the full Registered Nursing & Nursing Administration career guide →

Compare & Explore

Registered Nursing & Nursing Administration Overview

Registered Nursing & Nursing Administration at Other Schools

Other Majors at Cabrillo College

Considering a 4-Year Degree Instead?

Compare how bachelor's degree graduates fare on earnings, ROI, and AI resilience.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does Cabrillo College's Registered Nursing & Nursing Administration program score?
At 91/100, this is a high-performing trade program. The TradeSchoolOutlook Score combines earnings, AI resilience, and ROI — and this program delivers on all three.
How vulnerable is Registered Nursing & Nursing Administration to AI automation?
With 39% of typical job tasks exposed to AI, this is one of the higher-risk fields. Our pessimistic scenario projects $953,004 in decade earnings vs $1,485,374 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.
What's the typical debt for Registered Nursing & Nursing Administration graduates from Cabrillo College?
Median debt of just $15,000 against $91,090/yr in starting salary means graduates can clear their loans in under 2 months. This is one of the more affordable paths in our dataset.
What makes Cabrillo College's Registered Nursing & Nursing Administration program stand out?
The #10 ranking out of 947 programs is driven by strong financial outcomes — graduates earn well, debt is manageable, and the job market supports this trade.
Are there apprenticeship options for Registered Nursing & Nursing Administration?
There are 4 registered apprenticeships connected to Registered Nursing & Nursing Administration occupations. The earn-while-you-learn model means no tuition debt and immediate income, though the training period is typically longer.
How many job openings are there for Registered Nursing & Nursing Administration graduates?
The career paths mapped to Registered Nursing & Nursing Administration have roughly 292,500 combined annual openings nationally, making this a very large job market. Trade careers in this field benefit from consistent replacement demand as workers retire.
Data from College Scorecard, BLS, and AI resilience research. Methodology & sources →