The ROI of Specialized AI in Nursing Education: IC...

Purpose: Help deans, curriculum committees, and faculty quantify the return on investment (ROI) of adopting a specialized AI tutor across nursing courses - using University of Rochester study results and a practical cost-effectiveness (ICER) framework.

TL;DR key takeaways

University of Rochester research found GoodNurse users averaged 95.1% vs 88.8% for non-users (p = .0048).
A separate model comparison reported highest overall accuracy for GoodNurse on an 88-item exam and best accuracy per dollar among tested models.
Using the studies’ cost assumptions, the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) was ≈ $5.80 per 1% grade improvement.
Programs of 30, 120, and 300 students can show positive budget impact when improvements reduce repeats and remediation time.
Pricing note: our consumer price is $9.99/student/month (B2C). Enterprise/semester pricing is not finalized; examples below show $9.99 × 3–4 months per semester as a placeholder and may change over time.
Background: see our companion piece, Independent University Research: GoodNurse Improves Outcomes and Learning Efficiency in Nursing Education.

🎯 Free NCLEX quiz!
Test your knowledge - new quizzes added weekly!

Our dedicated page of free NCLEX Practice Quizzes. Adaptive, updated, and filled with NCLEX-style questions → Test your NCLEX knowledge!

1) What ICER means for nursing programs

ICER (Incremental Cost-Effectiveness Ratio) answers: How many dollars did we spend for one additional unit of outcome? ICER = (Cost_with_AI − Cost_without_AI) ÷ (Outcome_with_AI − Outcome_without_AI)

Outcomes can be:

Average course grade (percentage points).
% correct on a standardized exam
Progression/retention or repeat-course rates.

Why faculty like ICER: transparent, easy to recompute locally, and comparable to alternatives (extra lab hours, tutoring modules). For background, see CDC program evaluation and ICER basics (.gov) and NIH/NCBI overviews (.gov/.nih).

2) Using Rochester findings as your starting values

Standout result (for committee slides): “GoodNurse users averaged 95.1% vs 88.8% for non-users.” - University of Rochester School of Nursing (ENRS 2026 abstracts)

Evidence snapshot

Course performance: 95.1% (users) vs 88.8% (non-users), p = .0048.
Cost-effectiveness: Semester ICER ≈ $5.80 per 1% grade gain per student.
Model comparison: GoodNurse led overall accuracy on an 88-item exam and was most cost-effective among models tested.

Quick local ICER example: If your local lift is +5 points, ICER ≈ 5 × $5.80 = $29 per student for the gain (using the abstract’s cost basis). Departments can contrast that with the cost of extra lab hours, remediation, or private tutoring.

Integrity context: NCLEX explicitly restricts electronic devices at the test center; use AI for learning/practice, not graded assessments (see NCSBN and NCLEX links below).

3) Budget impact scenarios

Pricing disclaimer: Examples use $9.99 × 3 or 4 months to approximate a semester. Enterprise pricing is not finalized and may change over time. Other assumptions: average lift +5.0 points; avoided repeats 2–4%; faculty time saved 0.5–1.0 hr/student (triage to targeted practice); institutional cost per repeat $400 placeholder; faculty time $60/hr placeholder.

A) 30-student pilot section

Line item	3 months (29.97 ea)	4 months (39.96 ea)	Notes
Semester access cost	$899.10	$1,198.80	30 × monthly × months
Avoided repeats (2% → 0%)	$240 saved	$240 saved	0.6 student × $400
Faculty time saved (0.5 hr × 30 × $60/hr)	$900 saved	$900 saved	Local rate
Net budget impact	+$240.90	−$58.80	Savings − Cost

Many pilots still proceed at small net cost if outcomes and equity improve. Increasing avoided repeats to 3–4% or time saved to 1 hr/student typically makes pilots net positive even at 4 months.

B) 120-student, multi-section course

Line item	3 months	4 months	Notes
Semester access cost	$3,596.40	$4,795.20	120 × monthly × months
Avoided repeats (3% → 0.5%)	$1,000 saved	$1,000 saved	~3 students × $400 (rounded)
Faculty time saved (0.75 hr × 120 × $60/hr)	$5,400 saved	$5,400 saved
Net budget impact	+$2,803.60	+$1,604.80	Savings − Cost

C) 300-student pre-licensure cohort

Line item	3 months	4 months	Notes
Semester access cost	$8,991.00	$11,988.00	300 × monthly × months
Avoided repeats (4% → 1%)	$3,600 saved	$3,600 saved	9 × $400
Faculty time saved (1 hr × 300 × $60/hr)	$18,000 saved	$18,000 saved
Net budget impact	+$12,609.00	+$9,612.00	Savings − Cost

Swap in your local repeat-course cost, faculty rates, and observed lift. The ICER is independent of cohort size and remains your apples-to-apples yardstick.

4) Equity guardrails: who benefits, and by how much?

Track outcomes by:

Baseline GPA bands (e.g., ≤3.0 vs >3.0).
First-time vs repeaters.
Course format (in-person, hybrid, evening).
Clinical placement (telemetry, med-surg).

Equity dashboard checklist

Target lift: ≥3–5 points across lower GPA bands.
NGN performance: improved matrix/grid and bow-tie accuracy.
Early alert: flag low time-on-task by week 2 for outreach.
Accessibility: alt-text, keyboard navigation, sufficient color contrast for practice materials.

5) Integrity & compliance (NCLEX-aligned)

Allowed: AI for study, practice, and debrief.
Not allowed: AI on graded assessments unless explicitly permitted and proctored.
NCLEX: Electronic devices prohibited at the test center; candidates must demonstrate independent competence. See NCSBN and NCLEX policies below.

References (.edu/.gov/.org)

University of Rochester School of Nursing — program & research hub: https://son.rochester.edu/
Eastern Nursing Research Society (ENRS) — conference info: https://www.enrs-go.org/
NCSBN — NCLEX policies & candidate rules: https://www.ncsbn.org/ and https://www.nclex.com/
CDC — Program evaluation & cost-effectiveness (ICER): https://www.cdc.gov/evaluation/index.htm
NIH/NCBI Bookshelf — Clinical skills & learning resources: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/

The ROI of Specialized AI in Nursing Education: ICER, Budget Impact, and Equity