North Carolina · Registered Nursing

Best institutions to study Registered Nursing in North Carolina

The Registered Nursing program prepares students to become healthcare professionals who provide essential care to patients in various settings. This program covers a comprehensive curriculum that equips students with the necessary skills…

Institutions
91
offering CIP 51.38
States & territories
57
with a program page
Degrees / yr
7,798
IPEDS completions 2024–25
Median grad earnings
$76,142
1 year after graduation
With earnings data
78
College Scorecard
Median net price
$22,863
IPEDS 2024–25
Avg graduation rate
48%
IPEDS 2024–25
State pay · Registered Nurses
$90,470
BLS OEWS May 2025

Top 10 institutions, ranked by graduate earnings

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

#InstitutionGrad earnings (1 yr)CompletionsGrad rateNet priceMedian debt
1Chamberlain University - North Carolina
Charlotte Private for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$83,18843$21,664$39,146
2University of Mount Olive
Mount Olive Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$81,4932852%$16,473$27,094
3South University - High Point
High Point Private for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$77,63511$27,494$41,815
4Robeson Community College
Lumberton Public · Associate degree
$77,4753133%$9,949
5Duke University
Durham Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$77,28854597%$16,260$29,000
6North Carolina Central University
Durham Public · Bachelor's degree
$76,1423942%$40,000
7Stanly Community College
Albemarle Public · Associate degree
$76,0082248%
8Carolinas College of Health Sciences
Charlotte Public · Associate degree
$75,471114100%$24,499
9University of North Carolina Wilmington
Wilmington Public · Bachelor's degree
$74,46395371%$22,000
10Johnston Community College
Smithfield Public · Associate degree
$74,3663137%$13,167

Career outlook

What this program leads to: Registered Nurses (SOC 29-1141).

Projected growth (2024–2034)
+4.9%
About as fast as average
Openings / yr (US)
~189,100
BLS Employment Projections
US median wage
$93,600
typically Bachelor's degree

Top skills

Critical ThinkingActive ListeningSpeakingReading ComprehensionMonitoringWriting

What Registered Nurses earn in North Carolina

Jobs in North Carolina
111,120
BLS OEWS May 2025
State average pay
$90,470
median $84,350
Best-paying metro
$93,240
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC

Related careers

Registered Nurses
$90,470 avg · 111,120 jobs
Medical and Health Services Managers
$135,710 avg · 14,820 jobs
Nurse Practitioners
$130,870 avg · 9,800 jobs
Nurse Anesthetists
$226,780 avg · 3,340 jobs
Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary
$85,230 avg · 2,560 jobs
Nurse Midwives
$123,920 avg · 240 jobs

Common questions

Answers for students comparing Registered Nursing programs in North Carolina.

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

By median earnings one year after graduation (College Scorecard), Chamberlain University - North Carolina tops the list at $83,188. Compare it against completions, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.

How much do Registered Nurses earn in North Carolina?+

The average annual wage for Registered Nurses in North Carolina is $90,470 (median $84,350), across about 111,120 jobs. Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.

What is the focus of the Registered Nursing program?+

The Registered Nursing program prepares students to become healthcare professionals who provide essential care to patients in various settings. This program covers a comprehensive curriculum that equips students with the necessary skills…

What skills will I develop in this program?+

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

What is the job outlook for Registered Nurses?+

The national job outlook is about +4.9% growth with around 189,100 annual openings (BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034).

What is the typical education requirement?+

A Bachelor's degree is the typical entry-level education for this field (BLS).

About the data on this page

Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.

IPEDSFall 2025–26 release, published July 28, 2026
Enrollment, completions, graduation rates, tuition, financial aid, staffing, and finance for every U.S. institution in federal student aid programs.
College ScorecardJune 10, 2026 release (merged 2025–26 files)
Institution and field-of-study costs, graduate earnings, debt, completion, and admissions outcomes compiled from federal aid records, tax data, and IPEDS.
PSEO graduate earnings2019–21 graduation cohorts (release V4.13.0)
Earnings and employment outcomes of graduates by institution, degree level, and field of study, measured from state wage records.
BLS wages & outlookOEWS May 2025 release
Occupational employment and wage estimates plus 10-year job outlook, used to connect programs to real-world earnings.
FVT/GE program performanceProvisional preview, May 18, 2026 release
Program-level debt-to-earnings and earnings-premium measures behind the FVT/GE and STATS accountability frameworks.

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