North Carolina · Practical Nursing

Best Practical Nursing institutions in North Carolina, ranked by earnings

The Practical Nursing program, also known as Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants, prepares students for a career as a licensed practical nurse (LPN). This program is designed for individuals who want to provide direct nursing care to…

Institutions
41
offering CIP 51.39
States offered
9
with a program page
Degrees / yr
1,069
IPEDS completions 2026
Median grad earnings
$47,495
1 year after graduation
With earnings data
14
College Scorecard
Median net price
$36,791
IPEDS 2026
Avg graduation rate
41%
IPEDS 2026
State pay · Nursing Assistants
$37,980
BLS OEWS 2024

Top 10 institutions, ranked by graduate earnings

Earnings = median 1 year after graduation (College Scorecard).

#InstitutionGrad earnings (1 yr)CompletionsGrad rateNet priceMedian debt
1Isothermal Community College
Spindale Public · Certificate degree
$51,3242655%$6,625
2McDowell Technical Community College
Marion Public · Certificate degree
$51,2991848%
3Rockingham Community College
Wentworth Public · Certificate degree
$49,9311735%
4Forsyth Technical Community College
Winston-Salem Public · Certificate degree
$48,4666834%$15,550
5Montgomery Community College
Troy Public · Certificate degree
$47,5781584%
6Fayetteville Technical Community College
Fayetteville Public · Certificate degree
$47,4954824%$14,746
7Brunswick Community College
Bolivia Public · Certificate degree
$46,783740%
8Durham Technical Community College
Durham Public · Certificate degree
$46,5332445%$22,313
9Central Carolina Community College
Sanford Public · Certificate degree
$44,9043143%$13,500
10Richmond Community College
Hamlet Public · Certificate degree
$42,8267146%

Career outlook

What this program leads to: Nursing Assistants (SOC 31-1131).

Projected growth (2024–2034)
+2.3%
About as fast as average
Openings / yr (US)
~204,100
BLS Employment Projections
US median wage
$39,530
typically Postsecondary nondegree award

Top skills

Active ListeningMonitoringReading ComprehensionSpeakingCritical ThinkingActive Learning

What Nursing Assistants earn in North Carolina

Jobs in North Carolina
61,280
BLS OEWS May 2024
State average pay
$37,980
median $37,670
Best-paying metro
$40,970
Durham-Chapel Hill, NC

Related careers

Nursing Assistants
$37,980 avg · 61,280 jobs
Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses
$62,040 avg · 17,430 jobs

Common questions

Answers for students comparing Practical Nursing programs in North Carolina.

Which Practical Nursing program in North Carolina has the highest-earning graduates?+

By median earnings one year after graduation (College Scorecard), Isothermal Community College tops the list at $51,324. Compare it against completions, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.

How much do Nursing Assistants earn in North Carolina?+

The average annual wage for Nursing Assistants in North Carolina is $37,980 (median $37,670), across about 61,280 jobs. Source: BLS OEWS, May 2024.

What is the focus of the Practical Nursing program?+

The Practical Nursing program, also known as Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants, prepares students for a career as a licensed practical nurse (LPN). This program is designed for individuals who want to provide direct nursing care to…

What skills will I develop in this program?+

You will develop active listening, monitoring, reading comprehension, speaking, and related professional skills.

What is the job outlook for Nursing Assistants?+

The national job outlook is about +2.3% growth with around 204,100 annual openings (BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034).

What is the typical education requirement?+

A Postsecondary nondegree award is the typical entry-level education for this field (BLS).

Explore every U.S. college in one conversation

Clema turns plain-language questions into sourced answers across every U.S. institution — earnings, aid, acceptance, graduation, safety, and athletics from IPEDS, College Scorecard, and 10+ federal datasets, built in.

Free for teams up to 3 · No credit card