Wondering how much nursing school costs in North Carolina? Unfortunately, there’s no definitive answer to that question. The cost of nursing school is highly dependent on the program, city, and school in which you’re planning to attend. However, North Carolina is full of great schools and affordable options to consider.
If you don’t already know what school you want to attend, keeping your options open could be what helps you find an affordable school. The place to begin when it comes to figuring out what a school might cost you is by filling out the FAFSA®.
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) is the first step to determining how much financial aid you could be eligible for.
Once you file, your information will be sent to the schools you’re considering, and they’ll present you with an award package. From there, determining the most affordable option will be much easier.
What Nursing Programs Are Offered in North Carolina?
North Carolina has some of the best nursing programs in the country. That means you’ll have plenty of options when it comes time to decide what you want to focus on.
Determining a program is a personal decision based on what specialty you plan to pursue. It’s best to do your research on each of the programs and better understand the careers they offer and how long it will take you to complete your education.
It can seem very overwhelming trying to decide on a speciality and nursing program all on your own. That’s why we decided to put together a small list. We narrowed down some of the most popular nursing programs in North Carolina to give you a great starting off point.
Nursing Programs in North Carolina
| Registered Nurse Required Education: ADN or BSN (Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing) | Nurse Practitioner Required Education: MSN (Master’s of Science in Nursing) | Nurse Midwife Required Education: MSN (Master’s of Science in Nursing) |
| Licensed Practical / Vocational Nurse Required Education: Post-secondary non-degree awards | Clinical Nurse Specialist Required Education: MSN or DSN (Doctor’s of Science in Nursing) | Intensive Care Unit RN Required Education: ADN or BSN (Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing) |
| Travel Registered Nurse Required Education: ADN or BSN (Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing) | Dental Hygienist Required Education: ADN (Associate’s Degree in Nursing | Diagnostic Medical Sonographer Required Education: ADN (Associate’s Degree in Nursing) |
| Physician Assistant Required Education: MSN (Master’s of Science in Nursing) | Pediatric Nurse Required Education: ASN or BSN | Obstetric Nurse Required Education: ASN or BSN |
As you start to look at nursing schools, an important thing to remember is that to become a licensed nurse successfully, you need to graduate from an accredited school. That means that the school needs to be certified by the NC Board of Nursing.
If the school you attend is not accredited, you may not get your license, and even have to repeat your schooling. To ensure that you’re attending an accredited program, check the NC Board of Nursing website.
Average Cost Per Nursing Program
in North Carolina
The cost of nursing school in North Carolina depends on several things. From the length of the program you choose to the pedigree of the school, many things factor into how much it will cost you.
Truthfully, even an estimated cost pulled from nationwide data may not give you a real sense of what you’d have to pay for nursing school. Given how much financial aid you could be eligible for, it could significantly reduce your out-of-pocket costs. We put together estimated costs of popular nursing programs, but keep in mind that these are not definitive numbers.
| Diploma Nursing Programs Length: Depends  Total Cost: $18K – $40K | Nursing Assistant (NA) Program Length: 6 Months Total Cost: $9,000 | Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing (BSN) Length: 4 Years Total Cost: $40k – $200k |
| Licensed Practical Nurse LPN/LVN Length: 13 Months Public Costs: $5k – $25k Private Costs: $20k – $40k | Associates Degree in Nursing (ADN) Length: 13 Months Public Costs: $6k-40k Private Costs: $30k-100k |
To get a better estimate of what your Cost of Attendance will be for certain programs, your first step should be to file your FAFSA®. Once you’ve submitted your FAFSA® to the schools you’re applying to, they will send you a financial aid award letter.
This letter will outline all the grants, work-study programs, and loans that are available to you. With this information in hand, you can compare the cost of attendance to your award package and see which schools are going to help you most financially. Before making a decision, we suggest waiting for this information.
Top 5 Nursing Schools in New York
& Their Costs
North Carolina has some of the top nursing programs in the country. There are a lot of options to choose from when deciding where to get your education. We used various data from nursing sites to determine the top 5 nursing schools in the state. Below, you’ll find information on how much each of them costs and which programs they offer.
| University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Annual Tuition: $51,152 Programs Offered: BSN, MSN, DNP, PhD | UniversityEast Carolina University of Rochester Annual Tuition: $38,107 Programs Offered: BSN, RN to BSN, RIBN, ABSN, MSN, DNP, PhD |
| University of North Carolina at Charlotte Annual Tuition: $37,081 Programs Offered: BSN, MSN, DNP | University of NC at Wilmington Annual Tuition: $38,678 Programs Offered: Certificates, BSN, MSN, DNP | University of NC at Greensboro Annual Tuition: $35,818 Programs Offered: BSN, MSN, DNP, PhD |
Average North Carolina Nursing
Salary by Speciality
After figuring out how much it might cost you to go to nursing school, you’re probably wondering what a nursing salary is in North Carolina. Just like the cost of school, this can vary based on a lot of factors.
However, we used resources like PayScale and Glassdoor to get an idea of the salary range for different nursing career paths. We’ve compiled this information below, but for a more accurate estimate of how much you could make, you should fill out a salary report with one of the sites mentioned above.
| Licensed Practical / Vocational Nurse (LPN/LVN) North Carolina Salary Estimate: $35k – $51k | Registered Nurse (RN) North Carolina Salary Estimate: $39k – $66k |
| Nurse Practitioner (NP) North Carolina Salary Estimate: $97k – $138k | Nurse Midwife North Carolina Salary Estimate: $94k – $135k |
| Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) North Carolina Salary Estimate: $91k – $110k | Intensive Care Unit RN North Carolina Salary Estimate: $47k – $91k |
| Physician Assistant North Carolina Salary Estimate: $67k – $98k | Obstetrics Nurse North Carolina Salary Estimate: $62k – 78k |
Your salary will be dependent on where you live, your college education, and what you’ve accomplished up to a certain point in your career. This range runs from entry-level to very senior, so keep getting the high salary number takes time.
Luckily, North Carolina has several affordable options for nursing school as well as excellent financial aid packages for those that are eligible. If you’re considering going to nursing school, be sure to do your research and consider your financial future. After all, starting your career in an excellent financial place will help you throughout the rest of your life.