Nursing Graduate Salaries in North Carolina
Federal earnings data for every North Carolina college offering Nursing, ranked by 10-year median graduate salary. Sourced from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard — real tax-reported income, not surveys.
Nursing in North Carolina. Registered Nursing has 1.4% unemployment and a median salary of $93,600. The U.S. nurse shortage is structural, not cyclical — these jobs aren't going anywhere.
Typical career paths: Registered Nurse, Nurse Practitioner, Critical Care Nurse, Pediatric Nurse, Public Health Nurse. Median starting salary range: $70,000–$93,600. School choice can swing graduate earnings by 30–60% — which is why we rank by federal data, not prestige.
| # | School | 10-yr earnings | Net price/yr |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Duke University Durham, NC | $113,937 | $23,706 |
| 2 | Chamberlain University-North Carolina Charlotte, NC | $96,897 | $38,460 |
| 3 | Elon University Elon, NC | $82,524 | $35,785 |
| 4 | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chapel Hill, NC | $81,094 | $11,305 |
| 5 | High Point University High Point, NC | $73,547 | $41,019 |
| 6 | Carolinas College of Health Sciences Charlotte, NC | $70,075 | $41,407 |
| 7 | University of North Carolina at Charlotte Charlotte, NC | $63,486 | $15,142 |
| 8 | Cabarrus College of Health Sciences Concord, NC | $62,982 | $16,171 |
| 9 | University of North Carolina Wilmington Wilmington, NC | $61,019 | $19,570 |
| 10 | East Carolina University Greenville, NC | $60,387 | $16,880 |
| 11 | Campbell University Buies Creek, NC | $59,026 | $25,057 |
| 12 | Queens University of Charlotte Charlotte, NC | $58,736 | $29,421 |
| 13 | Wingate University Wingate, NC | $57,646 | $21,511 |
| 14 | Appalachian State University Boone, NC | $57,488 | $16,082 |
| 15 | University of Mount Olive Mount Olive, NC | $54,851 | $18,927 |
| 16 | Lenoir-Rhyne University Hickory, NC | $54,752 | $18,641 |
| 17 | Pfeiffer University Misenheimer, NC | $54,743 | $22,696 |
| 18 | Methodist University Fayetteville, NC | $54,558 | $25,760 |
| 19 | Meredith College Raleigh, NC | $54,417 | $22,801 |
| 20 | Johnson & Wales University-Charlotte Charlotte, NC | $53,928 | $26,258 |
| 21 | Belmont Abbey College Belmont, NC | $53,850 | $25,416 |
| 22 | Western Carolina University Cullowhee, NC | $53,764 | $13,025 |
| 23 | Gardner-Webb University Boiling Springs, NC | $53,543 | $21,150 |
| 24 | University of North Carolina at Greensboro Greensboro, NC | $53,402 | $12,291 |
| 25 | Montreat College Montreat, NC | $53,114 | $25,095 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Earnings are 10-year median income for graduates of each institution (all majors, since program-level earnings are released only for select fields). Refreshed every 24 hours.
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Frequently asked questions
What do Nursing graduates earn in North Carolina?
The median 10-year earnings for Nursing graduates from North Carolina colleges is $53,473, with a range from $37,560 at lower-earning schools to $113,937 at top-earning schools. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
Which North Carolina school has the highest Nursing graduate salary?
Duke University ranks first among North Carolina schools offering Nursing, with a 10-year median graduate salary of $113,937.
How is "graduate salary" measured?
These figures come from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard. They reflect actual federal tax-reported income of all graduates 10 years after enrollment — including those who pursued graduate school and those who took industry jobs. They are not survey-based.
Are these salaries adjusted for cost of living?
No. These are raw federal earnings figures. North Carolina salaries should be considered in context of local cost of living. For example, $90,000 in California has different purchasing power than $90,000 in North Carolina.