# What can you do with an Adult Nursing degree?

> Source: https://coursetojob.co.uk/courses/adult-nursing/ — updated 2026-09-25. Published by CourseToJob (independent; not affiliated with UCAS, HESA or GOV.UK).

**Quick answer:** An Adult Nursing degree commonly leads to roles such as newly qualified adult nurse, community staff nurse and discharge coordinator (entry). Five years after graduating, Adult Nursing graduates had median earnings of £35,900 (middle half: £27,800–£42,800), and 94.2% were in sustained work or further study (DfE LEO, 2023–24 tax year). The largest employer sector for Nursing and midwifery graduates is health and social work (87.4% of those in work).

Adult nursing is a professional course leading toward NMC registration when the programme is approved. First jobs are usually in NHS or care settings. Official figures appear when an extract is loaded.

## What jobs can you get with an Adult Nursing degree?

- **Newly qualified adult nurse**: Delivers planned care on a ward or community caseload after preceptorship, under local policy. Skills often asked for: medicines administration, NEWS2, handover.
- **Community staff nurse**. Skills often asked for: home visits, wound care, multidisciplinary notes.
- **Discharge coordinator (entry)**. Skills often asked for: bed flow, family liaison, referrals.
- **Clinical research nurse (entry)**. Skills often asked for: protocol adherence, consent support, data capture.

## Where do Adult Nursing graduates work?

Nursing and midwifery graduates in UK employment five years after graduating, by industry (DfE LEO industry data, tax year 2023–24; shares calculated by CourseToJob from DfE's rounded counts).

| Industry | Share of graduates in work | Median earnings |
|---|---|---|
| Health and social work | 87.4% | £37,700 |
| Administrative and support services | 3.8% | £32,600 |
| Public administration and defence | 2.8% | £37,100 |
| Education | 1.6% | £32,200 |
| Professional, scientific and technical services | 1% | £28,500 |
| Information and communication | 0.9% | £35,100 |
| Wholesale and retail | 0.7% | £34,200 |
| Construction | 0.2% | £25,300 |

## How much do Adult Nursing graduates earn?

UK-domiciled first-degree graduates in Adult nursing (CAH02-04-02). Source: DfE LEO CAH level 3 subject data, tax year 2023–24 (https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-catalogue/data-set/d8bc2906-419e-40ef-ad8e-9b2ccd3997dc). Each row is a different graduating cohort.

| Years after graduating | Graduated | Median earnings | Middle half | In work or further study | All-graduate median |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2021/2022 | £32,900 | £29,300–£38,100 | 95.8% | £26,400 |
| 3 | 2019/2020 | £34,800 | £28,200–£41,000 | 95% | £30,000 |
| 5 | 2017/2018 | £35,900 | £27,800–£42,800 | 94.2% | £33,700 |
| 10 | 2012/2013 | £36,600 | £26,400–£45,800 | 91.2% | — |

## Which universities have the highest-earning Nursing and midwifery graduates?

Median earnings five years after graduating, universities with at least 50 graduates measured (DfE LEO provider-level data, 2023–24). Not a quality ranking.

| University | Median earnings | Graduates |
|---|---|---|
| [Middlesex University](https://coursetojob.co.uk/universities/middlesex-university/) | £43,900 | 350 |
| [London South Bank University](https://coursetojob.co.uk/universities/london-south-bank-university/) | £42,800 | 630 |
| [King's College London](https://coursetojob.co.uk/universities/kings-college-london/) | £42,300 | 405 |
| [University of Essex](https://coursetojob.co.uk/universities/university-of-essex/) | £41,700 | 120 |
| [Kingston University](https://coursetojob.co.uk/universities/kingston-university/) | £41,700 | 320 |
| [City St George's, University of London](https://coursetojob.co.uk/universities/city-st-georges-university-of-london/) | £40,600 | 205 |
| [University of Greenwich](https://coursetojob.co.uk/universities/university-of-greenwich/) | £40,600 | 390 |
| [University of Hertfordshire](https://coursetojob.co.uk/universities/university-of-hertfordshire/) | £40,600 | 415 |
| [Buckinghamshire New University](https://coursetojob.co.uk/universities/buckinghamshire-new-university/) | £39,900 | 400 |
| [University of Glasgow](https://coursetojob.co.uk/universities/university-of-glasgow/) | £39,900 | 55 |

## Is Adult Nursing the right degree for you?

You may enjoy it if:
- You can stay calm with acutely unwell adults and their families.
- You accept shift work, including nights and weekends.
- You want clinical placements to be a core part of the course.

It may not suit you if:
- You dislike bodily care, documentation, or handover discipline.
- You want a purely campus-based degree with no wards.
- You are looking for a generic social-science degree.

## Interview questions for Adult Nursing graduate roles

Newly qualified nursing interviews (and many course interviews) test safety, handover, and how you work in a team under pressure. The job prompts below are editorial illustrations, not a trust’s actual bank.

- A patient’s NEWS score has risen and they look unwell. What do you do first? (What it tests: Escalation, ABCDE thinking, and that you do not leave the person to finish a task list.)
- You are about to give a medicine and the dose on the chart looks unusual. What next? (What it tests: You stop, check, and ask — not push a drug through to stay on time.)
- How would you hand over a confused patient at the end of a shift? (What it tests: SBAR-style structure: situation, background, what you did, what still needs doing.)
- A relative is angry that a discharge is delayed. How do you respond? (What it tests: Calm communication without promising a medical decision you cannot make.)
- You notice a colleague skipping a check. What do you do? (What it tests: Professional courage and using the right reporting route, not gossip.)

## Frequently asked questions

### What jobs can you do with an Adult Nursing degree?

Common starting roles include newly qualified adult nurse, community staff nurse, discharge coordinator (entry) and clinical research nurse (entry). Five years after graduating, the most common sectors for Nursing and midwifery graduates in work were health and social work (87.4%), administrative and support services (3.8%) and public administration and defence (2.8%). These are examples, not guaranteed jobs: your experience, location and further training matter.

### How much do Adult Nursing graduates earn in the UK?

DfE Longitudinal Education Outcomes data for the 2023–24 tax year shows median earnings for UK-domiciled Adult Nursing graduates of £32,900 one year after graduating, £34,800 three years after graduating, £35,900 five years after graduating and £36,600 ten years after graduating. Each figure describes a different graduating cohort, not one person's pay rise, and it is gross pay for those in sustained employment, not a starting salary offer.

### Is an Adult Nursing degree worth it?

It depends on what you want to do. On the official data, 94.2% of Adult Nursing graduates were in sustained employment or further study five years after graduating, with median earnings of £35,900. For comparison, the median across all first-degree graduates of GB higher education institutions was £33,700 at the same point. That places Adult Nursing 58 of 146 subject groups by five-year median earnings. Earnings are only one factor: enjoyment of the subject, accreditation and the route into your target job matter too.

### Which universities have the highest-earning Nursing and midwifery graduates?

Among universities in our index with at least 50 graduates measured, the highest five-year median earnings for Nursing and midwifery were at Middlesex University (£43,900), London South Bank University (£42,800) and King's College London (£42,300). These figures reflect entry grades, subject mix and where graduates work, so they are not a measure of teaching quality.

### Can international students study Adult Nursing in the UK?

Yes, most UK universities accept international applicants, but entry requirements, recognised qualifications, English-language evidence and overseas tuition fees depend on the university and programme. Check the university course page and international admissions team, then check visa requirements on GOV.UK.


Apply for undergraduate courses on UCAS: https://www.ucas.com/explore/search/courses?query=Adult%20Nursing