Nursing Schools in North Carolina: All 155 Approved Programs & NCLEX Pass Rates
North Carolina has 102 schools running 155 board-approved nursing programs — 103 RN-track and 52 PN/LPN-track. The average 2025 first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate across North Carolina programs is 89.4%, 2.9 points above the national average of 86.5%. Every row below comes straight from the state board of nursing's published approved-program list — not self-reported school marketing.
Best Nursing Schools in North Carolina by NCLEX Pass Rate
Top RN programs ranked by 2025 first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate, among programs with a published 2025 rate. Rates are one year of data — check multi-year trends before deciding.
- 1100%Wilson · BSN
- 2100%Charlotte · ADN
- 3100%Salisbury · BSN
- 4100%Sanford · ADN
- 5100%Asheville · BSN
- 6100%Spruce Pine · ADN
- 7100%Asheboro · ADN
- 8100%Locust · ADN
- 9100%Goldsboro · ADN
- 10100%Wilson · ADN
What Nursing School Costs in North Carolina — and What Graduates Earn
Tuition, admissions and graduate-earnings figures come from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard, matched to 88 of 102 North Carolina schools. Earnings are program-level — the median for graduates of that school's own nursing program, not all its alumni.
Median federal loan debt for BSN graduates in North Carolina is $21,075 (24 programs). Sticker tuition is the whole school's published price, not the nursing program's alone, and it ignores aid — the number that decides whether a program pays off is what you actually pay plus the wages you give up while enrolled. Run your own numbers in the ROI calculator or read the full cost of becoming an RN.
Every Approved Nursing Program in North Carolina
Sort by any column, filter RN vs PN/LPN, or search a school or city.
155 of 155 programs · “—” = not published for that program · tuition is the school’s published in-state price for one year, before aid; grad pay is the median for that program’s own graduates, one year out
| Alamance Community College | Graham | ADNRN | $2,592 | $69,767 | 97% |
| Alamance Community College | Graham | LPNPN | $2,592 | — | 96% |
| Appalachian State University | Boone | BSNRN | $7,579 | $69,420 | 98% |
| Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College | Asheville | ADNRN | $2,882 | $63,410 | 98% |
| Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College | Asheville | LPNPN | $2,882 | — | 100% |
| Barton College | Wilson | BSNRN | $37,250 | $68,741 | 100% |
| Beaufort County Community College | Washington | ADNRN | $2,540 | — | 95% |
| Beaufort County Community College | Washington | LPNPN | $2,540 | — | 100% |
| Belmont Abbey College | Belmont | BSNRN | $19,500 | — | 88% |
| Bladen Community College | Dublin | ADNRN | $2,618 | $67,852 | 93% |
| Bladen Community College | Dublin | LPNPN | $2,618 | $36,396 | 88% |
| Blue Ridge Community College | Flat Rock | ADNRN | $2,660 | $62,192 | 96% |
| Blue Ridge Community College | Flat Rock | LPNPN | $2,660 | — | 100% |
| Brunswick Community College | Supply | ADNRN | $2,553 | $71,605 | 83% |
| Brunswick Community College | Supply | LPNPN | $2,553 | $46,783 | 100% |
| Cabarrus College of Health SciencesConditional | Concord | ADNRN | $16,550 | $71,240 | 71% |
| Cabarrus College of Health Sciences | Concord | BSNRN | $16,550 | $73,944 | 81% |
| Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute | Hudson | ADNRN | $2,526 | $66,904 | 91% |
| Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute | Hudson | LPNPN | $2,526 | — | 95% |
| Campbell University | Buies Creek | BSNRN | $41,600 | $70,772 | 88% |
| Cape Fear Community College | Wilmington | ADNRN | $2,748 | — | 98% |
| Cape Fear Community College | Wilmington | LPNPN | $2,748 | — | 100% |
| Care One Health Training InstituteNew/provisional | Raleigh | LPNPN | — | — | — |
| Carolinas College of Health Sciences | Charlotte | ADNRN | $18,882 | $75,471 | 100% |
| Carteret Community College | Morehead City | ADNRN | $2,310 | $62,321 | 92% |
| Catawba College | Salisbury | BSNRN | $34,300 | $70,522 | 100% |
| Catawba Valley Community College | Hickory | ADNRN | $2,427 | $64,707 | 80% |
| Central Carolina Community College | Sanford | ADNRN | $2,711 | $70,579 | 100% |
| Central Carolina Community College | Sanford | LPNPN | $2,711 | $44,904 | 100% |
| Central Piedmont Community College | Charlotte | ADNRN | $2,792 | $73,310 | 99% |
| Central Piedmont Community College | Charlotte | LPNPN | $2,792 | — | 97% |
| Chamberlain University | Charlotte | BSNRN | — | — | 94% |
| Cleveland Community College | Shelby | ADNRN | $2,602 | $73,173 | 87% |
| Cleveland Community College | Shelby | LPNPN | $2,602 | — | 100% |
| Coastal Carolina Community College | Jacksonville | ADNRN | $2,512 | $59,879 | 97% |
| Coastal Carolina Community College | Jacksonville | LPNPN | $2,512 | — | 92% |
| College of The Albemarle | Elizabeth City | ADNRN | $2,242 | $72,750 | 96% |
| College of The Albemarle | Elizabeth City | LPNPN | $2,242 | — | 100% |
| Craven Community College | New Bern | ADNRN | $2,022 | $63,478 | 93% |
| Craven Community College | New Bern | LPNPN | $2,022 | — | 93% |
| Davidson-Davie Community College | Lexington | ADNRN | $1,980 | $66,695 | 82% |
| Davidson-Davie Community College | Lexington | LPNPN | $1,980 | — | 96% |
| Duke University | Durham | ABSNRN | $68,758 | $77,288 | 91% |
| Duke UniversityNew/provisional | Durham | DMERN | $68,758 | — | — |
| Durham Technical Community College | Durham | ADNRN | $1,986 | $66,430 | 84% |
| Durham Technical Community College | Durham | LPNPN | $1,986 | $46,533 | 100% |
| East Carolina University | Greenville | BSNRN | $7,361 | $72,051 | 96% |
| ECPI University - Charlotte | Charlotte | AASRN | $18,484 | — | 86% |
| ECPI University - Charlotte | Charlotte | LPNPN | $18,484 | — | 96% |
| ECPI University - High Point | High Point | LPNPN | — | — | 94% |
| ECPI University - Raleigh | Raleigh | AASRN | $18,484 | — | 92% |
| ECPI University - Raleigh | Raleigh | LPNPN | $18,484 | — | 81% |
| Edgecombe Community College | Rocky Mount | ADNRN | $2,640 | $66,322 | 86% |
| Edgecombe Community College | Rocky Mount | LPNPN | $2,640 | — | 93% |
| Elon University | Elon | BSNRN | $46,958 | — | 90% |
| Fayetteville State University | Fayetteville | BSNRN | $4,353 | $73,448 | 85% |
| Fayetteville Technical Community College | Fayetteville | ADNRN | $2,628 | $72,523 | 87% |
| Fayetteville Technical Community College | Fayetteville | LPNPN | $2,628 | $47,495 | 100% |
| Forsyth Technical Community College | Winston Salem | ADNRN | $2,276 | $68,379 | 95% |
| Forsyth Technical Community College | Winston Salem | LPNPN | $2,276 | $48,466 | 98% |
| Galen College of Nursing | Asheville | ADNRN | — | — | 85% |
| Galen College of Nursing | Asheville | BSNRN | — | — | 100% |
| Gardner-Webb University | Boiling Springs | ASNRN | $34,760 | $67,979 | 83% |
| Gardner-Webb University | Boiling Springs | BSNRN | $34,760 | $71,337 | 83% |
| Gaston College | Dallas | LPNPN | $3,186 | $42,358 | 100% |
| Gaston Community College | Dallas | ADNRN | — | — | 98% |
| Guilford Technical Community College | Jamestown | ADNRN | $2,320 | $67,200 | 97% |
| Guilford Technical Community College | Jamestown | LPNPN | $2,320 | — | 100% |
| Halifax Community CollegeConditional | Weldon | ADNRN | $2,608 | $70,982 | 68% |
| Halifax Community College | Weldon | LPNPN | $2,608 | — | 100% |
| High Point University | High Point | BSNRN | $45,312 | — | 90% |
| Isothermal Community CollegeConditional | Spindale | ADNRN | $2,030 | $67,248 | 72% |
| Isothermal Community College | Spindale | LPNPN | $2,030 | $51,324 | 95% |
| James Sprunt Community College | Kenansville | ADNRN | $2,592 | $65,112 | 96% |
| James Sprunt Community College | Kenansville | LPNPN | $2,592 | — | 100% |
| Johnson & Wales UniversityConditional | Charlotte | ABSNRN | — | — | 67% |
| Johnston Community College | Smithfield | ADNRN | $2,756 | $74,366 | 97% |
| Johnston Community College | Smithfield | LPNPN | $2,756 | — | 100% |
| Lenoir Community College | Kinston | ADNRN | $2,578 | $67,505 | 88% |
| Lenoir Community College | Kinston | LPNPN | $2,578 | — | 100% |
| Lenoir-Rhyne University | Hickory | BSNRN | $31,900 | $64,846 | 96% |
| Mars Hill University | Mars Hill | BSNRN | $37,736 | $63,302 | 88% |
| Martin Community CollegeNew/provisional | Williamston | LPNPN | $2,523 | — | — |
| Mayland Community College | Spruce Pine | ADNRN | $2,626 | — | 100% |
| Mayland Community College | Spruce Pine | LPNPN | $2,626 | — | 100% |
| McDowell Technical Community College | Marion | ADNRN | $2,032 | $62,167 | 82% |
| McDowell Technical Community College | Marion | LPNPN | $2,032 | $51,299 | 96% |
| Meredith CollegeNew/provisional | Raleigh | BSNRN | $45,630 | — | — |
| Methodist University | Fayetteville | BSNRN | $41,250 | $70,746 | 94% |
| Mitchell Community College | Statesville | ADNRN | $2,641 | $62,584 | 97% |
| Montgomery Community College | Troy | ADNRN | $2,538 | — | 92% |
| Montgomery Community College | Troy | LPNPN | $2,538 | $47,578 | 100% |
| Nash Community College | Rocky Mount | ADNRN | $2,866 | $64,013 | 86% |
| Nash Community College | Rocky Mount | LPNPN | $2,866 | — | 100% |
| North Carolina A&T State University | Greensboro | BSNRN | $6,813 | $73,368 | 89% |
| North Carolina Central University | Durham | BSNRN | $6,699 | $76,142 | 96% |
| North Carolina Wesleyan UniversityNew/provisional | Rocky Mount | BSNRN | $35,736 | — | — |
| Northeastern UniversityConditional | Charlotte | ABSNRN | — | — | 75% |
| Pfeiffer University | Misenheimer | BSNRN | $35,070 | $66,499 | 83% |
| Piedmont Community College | Roxboro | ADNRN | $2,556 | $68,517 | 81% |
| Piedmont Community College | Roxboro | LPNPN | $2,556 | — | 100% |
| Pitt Community College | Greenville | ADNRN | $2,580 | $67,366 | 97% |
| Queens University of Charlotte | Charlotte | BSNRN | $45,846 | $73,479 | 89% |
| Randolph Community College | Asheboro | ADNRN | $2,416 | — | 100% |
| Region A Nursing ConsortiumConditional | Clyde | ADNRN | — | — | 71% |
| Richmond Community College | Hamlet | ADNRN | $1,956 | $70,087 | 86% |
| Richmond Community College | Laurinburg | LPNPN | $1,956 | $42,826 | 89% |
| Roanoke-Chowan Community College | Ahoskie | ADNRN | $2,642 | — | 80% |
| Robeson Community College | Lumberton | ADNRN | $2,581 | $77,475 | 90% |
| Robeson Community College | Lumberton | LPNPN | $2,581 | $42,123 | 100% |
| Rockingham Community College | Wentworth | ADNRN | $1,966 | $63,549 | 90% |
| Rockingham Community College | Wentworth | LPNPN | $1,966 | $49,931 | 88% |
| Rowan-Cabarrus Community College | Salisbury | ADNRN | $2,064 | $67,501 | 82% |
| Rowan-Cabarrus Community College | Kannapolis | LPNPN | $2,064 | — | 100% |
| Sampson Community College | Clinton | ADNRN | $2,877 | $69,040 | 96% |
| Sampson Community College | Clinton | LPNPN | $2,877 | $40,257 | 100% |
| Sandhills Community College | Pinehurst | ADNRN | $2,040 | $66,238 | 94% |
| South CollegeNew/provisional | Asheville | ASNRN | — | — | — |
| South College | Asheville | BSNRN | — | — | 89% |
| South College | Asheville | LPNPN | — | — | 93% |
| South Piedmont Community College | Monroe | ADNRN | $2,022 | $70,497 | 78% |
| South Piedmont Community College | Monroe | LPNPN | $2,022 | — | 100% |
| South University | High Point | BSNRN | — | — | 80% |
| Southeastern CollegeConditional | Charlotte | LPNPN | — | — | 77% |
| Southeastern Community College | Whiteville | ADNRN | $2,600 | $65,328 | 81% |
| Southeastern Community College | Whiteville | LPNPN | $2,600 | — | 100% |
| Southwestern Community College | Sylva | ADNRN | $4,112 | $61,931 | 88% |
| Southwestern Community College | Sylva | LPNPN | $4,112 | — | 86% |
| St. Andrews University | Laurinburg | BSNRN | — | — | — |
| Stanly Community College | Locust | ADNRN | $2,672 | $76,008 | 100% |
| Stanly Community College | Locust | LPNPN | $2,672 | — | 100% |
| Surry Community College | Dobson | ADNRN | $2,668 | $69,740 | 95% |
| Surry Community College | Dobson | LPNPN | $2,668 | — | 100% |
| University of Mount OliveConditional | Mount Olive | BSNRN | $27,366 | $81,493 | 50% |
| University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | Chapel Hill | BSNRN | $8,994 | $71,594 | 96% |
| University of North Carolina at Charlotte | Charlotte | BSNRN | $7,239 | $73,445 | 97% |
| University of North Carolina at Greensboro | Greensboro | BSNRN | $7,661 | $68,115 | 90% |
| University of North Carolina at GreensboroNew/provisional | Greensboro | DMERN | $7,661 | — | — |
| University of North Carolina at Pembroke | Pembroke | BSNRN | $3,648 | $73,906 | 92% |
| University of North Carolina Wilmington | Wilmington | BSNRN | $7,277 | $74,463 | 90% |
| Vance-Granville Community College | Henderson | ADNRN | $1,944 | $72,520 | 79% |
| Wake Technical Community College | Raleigh | ADNRN | $2,254 | $68,266 | 95% |
| Wake Technical Community College | Raleigh | LPNPN | $2,254 | — | 100% |
| Watts College of Nursing | Durham | BSNRN | — | — | 85% |
| Wayne Community College | Goldsboro | ADNRN | $2,566 | $61,774 | 100% |
| Wayne Community College | Goldsboro | LPNPN | $2,566 | — | 100% |
| Wester Carolina UniversityNew/provisional | Cullowhee | DMERN | — | — | — |
| Western Carolina University | Cullowhee | BSNRN | $4,630 | $68,774 | 99% |
| Western Piedmont Community College | Morganton | ADNRN | $2,650 | $66,888 | 98% |
| Western Piedmont Community CollegeNew/provisional | Morganton | LPNPN | $2,650 | — | — |
| Wilkes Community College | Wilkesboro | ADNRN | $2,572 | $62,962 | 95% |
| Wilson Community College | Wilson | ADNRN | $2,572 | $70,152 | 100% |
| Wilson Community College | Wilson | LPNPN | $2,572 | — | 100% |
| Wingate University | Wingate | BSNRN | $41,636 | $68,877 | 86% |
| Winston-Salem State UniversityConditional | Winston Salem | BSNRN | $6,126 | $72,639 | 71% |
Whichever school you choose, the NCLEX is the finish line
The pass rates above are made by students, not buildings. Students who do well start NCLEX-style practice in their first semester — studying for class exams and the boards at the same time. NurseSavvy turns your own course materials into matched NCLEX practice questions from day one — free to try, then $19/mo.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best nursing school in North Carolina by NCLEX pass rate?
10 RN programs in North Carolina tied for the highest 2025 first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate at 100%, including Barton College in Wilson — see the full ranked list above, among programs with a published 2025 rate on the state board's list.
How many nursing schools are in North Carolina?
North Carolina has 102 schools offering 155 board-approved nursing programs: 103 RN-track (ADN/BSN and similar) and 52 PN/LPN-track programs, per the state board of nursing's current approved-program list.
What is the average NCLEX pass rate in North Carolina?
Across North Carolina RN programs with a published 2025 rate, the average first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate is 89.4% — 2.9 points above the national average of 86.5%.
How much does nursing school cost in North Carolina?
Across North Carolina nursing schools we could match to U.S. Department of Education data, median published in-state tuition and fees run $2,601 a year at public schools (68 schools) and $37,493 at private nonprofits (18 schools). That is the whole institution's sticker price per year, before aid — an ADN takes about two years and a BSN four, and most students pay less than sticker. Per-school figures are in the table above.
What do nursing graduates in North Carolina earn?
Federal earnings data tracks graduates of each specific nursing program. In North Carolina, median earnings one year after finishing are $67,505 for ADN graduates (51 programs) and $71,594 for BSN graduates (25 programs). These are medians of program-level medians and the federal figures lag by a few years, so treat them as a floor for comparison between schools rather than a salary prediction.
What does a first-time NCLEX pass rate tell me about a school?
It is the share of a program’s graduates who passed the NCLEX on their first attempt — the single most comparable public outcome number nursing programs report. Boards of nursing track it for program approval, and consistently low rates can put a program on conditional status. Compare it alongside cost, location, and program length, not in isolation.
About this data
Program list and 2025 first-time NCLEX pass rates are taken directly from the North Carolina board of nursing's published approved-program materials. “—” means the board did not publish a 2025 rate for that program (new programs, small cohorts, or PN lists without rate tables). Pass rates refresh annually; this page is rebuilt from the board lists when they update.
Tuition, admission rates, graduate earnings and debt come from the U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard (Most Recent Cohorts, June 10 2026 data release), matched by school name and city to 88 of 102 North Carolina schools. Schools the federal data does not cover — hospital-based programs and schools outside federal student-aid reporting — show “—” rather than an estimate. Tuition and admission rates describe the whole institution; earnings and debt are specific to its nursing programs, by credential, and lag the current graduating class by several years.
- collegescorecard.ed.gov — Most Recent Cohorts, June 10 2026 data release
- www.ncbon.com — list: Approved-programs list revised 6/22/26; pass rate CY2025 first-time (2025 single-year reports, posted Feb 2026)