by our College Data Analytics TeamStudying School Nursing covers Pediatric Nurse/nursing. A Program That Prepares Registered Nurses To Provide Care For Children From Infancy Through Adolescence. Includes Instruction In The Administration Of Medication And Treatments, Assisting Physicians, Patient Examination And Referral, And Planning And Delivering Health Maintenance And Health Education Programs. Examples: [Pediatric Nurse Practitioner]. Continue reading for the key facts every school nursing major should know — including career paths, salary data, the skills you will develop, and the best colleges offering school nursing programs.
Nationwide, school nursing draws strong interest, with 441 degrees awarded annually.
Our 2026 Best School Nursing Schools ranking analyzes these 36 schools to determine the best overall colleges for school nursing students. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of school nursing programs later in this article.
Coursework for School Nursing build a specific mix of skills, knowledge, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in the occupations school nursing graduates commonly enter.
Skills developed in a school nursing program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:
Per O*NET surveys, a school nursing major emphasizes the following knowledge areas:
There are several school nursing degree levels. The table below shows the typical length of the most common levels, and how many graduates earn each one.
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 394 |
| Doctorate | At least 4 years | 47 |
People currently working in careers related to school nursing tend to have obtained the following education levels.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Master’s degree | 44.5% |
| Bachelor’s degree | 24.3% |
| Doctoral degree | 10.0% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 8.9% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 7.8% |
| First professional degree | 1.4% |
| Post-doctoral training | 1.4% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 1.3% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 0.3% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 0.2% |
See the chart below to get an idea of what level of education most of those in school nursing careers hold.
Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*
Studying school nursing can lead to numerous career paths. Below are some of the most common occupations related to school nursing.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to school nursing.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurses | 3,793,806 | 10.2% |
| Nurse Practitioners | 2,031,912 | 3.3% |
| Clinical Nurse Specialists | 1,937,405 | 12.3% |
| Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurses | 1,349,827 | 0.0% |
| Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary | 790,445 | 5.7% |
| Critical Care Nurses | 590,563 | 14.4% |
| Acute Care Nurses | 191,452 | 4.1% |
Federal data tracks median earnings of school nursing graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. These numbers tend to grow as graduates gain experience.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $83,453 |
| 4 years | $80,149 |
| 5 years | $90,156 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.
Salaries for school nursing graduates vary widely by occupation. The following table shows the top highest-paying careers school nursing grads often go into.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Nurse Practitioners | $147,651 |
| Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurses | $143,854 |
| Registered Nurses | $105,741 |
| Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary | $69,718 |
| Critical Care Nurses | $65,103 |
| Acute Care Nurses | $56,247 |
| Clinical Nurse Specialists | $52,889 |
With 36 different school nursing programs to choose from, finding the best fit can be a challenge. We have analyzed these schools to produce unbiased school nursing school rankings to help you.
Students interested in school nursing, you may also want to explore other closely related fields of study within the same broad area.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse | 256,965 |
| Family Practice Nurse/Nursing | 14,847 |
| Nursing Practice | 9,206 |
| Nursing Administration | 7,911 |
| Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse/Nursing | 4,379 |
| Nursing Science | 4,245 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing, Other | 4,125 |
| Adult Health Nurse/Nursing | 2,457 |
| Nurse Anesthetist | 1,960 |
| Public Health/Community Nurse/Nursing | 1,505 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
