Best colleges for Registered Nursing in North Carolina
Ranked by graduate earnings
Chamberlain University - North Carolina, University of Mount Olive and Duke University are the top bachelor's Registered Nursing programs in North Carolina by graduate earnings. Chamberlain University - North Carolina leads with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $83,188, College Scorecard. University of North Carolina Wilmington, East Carolina University and Duke University award the most Registered Nursing degrees in North Carolina: 953, 550 and 545 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 91 North Carolina colleges offer Registered Nursing and award 7,798 degrees and certificates a year in all.
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…
Top 10 bachelor's programs, ranked by graduate earnings
Ranked by median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard. Programs with fewer than 20 graduates a year, a graduation rate under 30%, or online, degree-completion or graduate-only status rank after the rest.
| # | Institution | Starting salary (1 yr) | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chamberlain University - North Carolina Charlotte Private for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $83,188 | 43 | — | $21,664 | $39,146 |
| 2 | University of Mount Olive Mount Olive Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $81,493 | 28 | 52% | $16,473 | $27,094 |
| 3 | Duke University Durham Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $77,288 | 545 | 97% | $16,260 | $29,000 |
| 4 | North Carolina Central University Durham Public · Bachelor's degree | $76,142 | 39 | 42% | — | $40,000 |
| 5 | University of North Carolina Wilmington Wilmington Public · Bachelor's degree | $74,463 | 953 | 71% | — | $22,000 |
| 6 | University of North Carolina at Pembroke Pembroke Public · Bachelor's degree | $73,906 | 60 | 44% | — | $29,710 |
| 7 | Queens University of Charlotte Charlotte Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $73,479 | 89 | 61% | $24,872 | $31,757 |
| 8 | Fayetteville State University Fayetteville Public · Bachelor's degree | $73,448 | 144 | 38% | — | $22,052 |
| 9 | University of North Carolina at Charlotte Charlotte Public · Bachelor's degree | $73,445 | 225 | 69% | — | $25,044 |
| 10 | North Carolina A & T State University Greensboro Public · Bachelor's degree | $73,368 | 76 | 57% | — | $28,353 |
Top 10 certificate and associate programs
Shorter credentials, ranked separately so they are not compared with four-year degrees. Ranked by median earnings one year after completion (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.
| # | Institution | Starting salary (1 yr) | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Robeson Community College Lumberton Public · Associate degree | $77,475 | 31 | 33% | — | $9,949 |
| 2 | Stanly Community College Albemarle Public · Associate degree | $76,008 | 22 | 48% | — | — |
| 3 | Carolinas College of Health Sciences Charlotte Public · Associate degree | $75,471 | 114 | 100% | — | $24,499 |
| 4 | Johnston Community College Smithfield Public · Associate degree | $74,366 | 31 | 37% | — | $13,167 |
| 5 | Central Piedmont Community College Charlotte Public · Associate degree | $73,310 | 95 | 31% | — | $16,125 |
| 6 | Cleveland Community College Shelby Public · Associate degree | $73,173 | 55 | 32% | — | — |
| 7 | College of the Albemarle Elizabeth City Public · Associate degree | $72,750 | 25 | 35% | — | $13,000 |
| 8 | Vance-Granville Community College Henderson Public · Associate degree | $72,520 | 28 | 53% | — | $14,833 |
| 9 | Brunswick Community College Bolivia Public · Associate degree | $71,605 | 52 | 40% | — | — |
| 10 | Cabarrus College of Health Sciences Concord Private not-for-profit · Associate degree | $71,240 | 242 | 71% | $16,110 | $23,749 |
Colleges awarding the most Registered Nursing degrees in North Carolina
Top 10 by graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25 completions). Certificate and associate programs, online, degree-completion and graduate-only schools, and schools with a graduation rate under 30% are listed in full below.
| # | Institution | Graduates / yr | Starting salary (1 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of North Carolina Wilmington Wilmington Public | 953 | $74,463 |
| 2 | East Carolina University Greenville Public | 550 | $72,051 |
| 3 | Duke University Durham Private not-for-profit | 545 | $77,288 |
| 4 | University of North Carolina at Greensboro Greensboro Public | 393 | $68,115 |
| 5 | Western Carolina University Cullowhee Public | 344 | $68,774 |
| 6 | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chapel Hill Public | 307 | $71,594 |
| 7 | University of North Carolina at Charlotte Charlotte Public | 225 | $73,445 |
| 8 | Winston-Salem State University Winston-Salem Public | 186 | $72,639 |
| 9 | Cape Fear Community College Wilmington Public | 183 | Not reported |
| 10 | Fayetteville State University Fayetteville Public | 144 | $73,448 |
ShowHide the other 81 North Carolina colleges offering Registered Nursing
Career outlook
What this program leads to: Registered Nurses (SOC 29-1141).
Top skills
What Registered Nurses earn in North Carolina
Related careers
Common questions
Answers for students comparing Registered Nursing programs in North Carolina.
Which North Carolina colleges award the most Registered Nursing degrees?+
University of North Carolina Wilmington (953 graduates a year), East Carolina University (550 graduates a year) and Duke University (545 graduates a year) award the most Registered Nursing degrees in North Carolina, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 91 North Carolina colleges offer Registered Nursing.
What is the best college for Registered Nursing in North Carolina?+
By graduate earnings, Chamberlain University - North Carolina leads among bachelor's Registered Nursing programs in North Carolina, with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $83,188, College Scorecard. University of Mount Olive and Duke University follow. By degrees awarded, University of North Carolina Wilmington is the largest, with 953 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25).
Which Registered Nursing program in North Carolina has the highest-earning graduates?+
By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, Chamberlain University - North Carolina tops the list at $83,188. Compare it against graduates a year, 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.
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