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 | $97,800 | $29,612 |
| 2 | Chamberlain University-North Carolina Charlotte, NC | $92,405 | $38,436 |
| 3 | Elon University Elon, NC | $74,545 | $41,555 |
| 4 | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chapel Hill, NC | $72,200 | $11,655 |
| 5 | Carolinas College of Health Sciences Charlotte, NC | $64,624 | — |
| 6 | High Point University High Point, NC | $61,389 | $38,707 |
| 7 | Cabarrus College of Health Sciences Concord, NC | $58,708 | $17,618 |
| 8 | Queens University of Charlotte Charlotte, NC | $57,673 | $30,857 |
| 9 | University of North Carolina at Charlotte Charlotte, NC | $57,289 | $15,435 |
| 10 | East Carolina University Greenville, NC | $55,146 | $15,739 |
| 11 | University of North Carolina Wilmington Wilmington, NC | $54,967 | $20,109 |
| 12 | Campbell University Buies Creek, NC | $54,886 | $24,516 |
| 13 | Wingate University Wingate, NC | $52,649 | $20,748 |
| 14 | Appalachian State University Boone, NC | $51,836 | $16,836 |
| 15 | Pfeiffer University Misenheimer, NC | $51,562 | $19,076 |
| 16 | Meredith College Raleigh, NC | $51,539 | $22,488 |
| 17 | Western Carolina University Cullowhee, NC | $49,458 | $13,315 |
| 18 | Catawba College Salisbury, NC | $48,793 | $17,879 |
| 19 | University of North Carolina at Greensboro Greensboro, NC | $48,160 | $10,965 |
| 20 | Methodist University Fayetteville, NC | $48,050 | $24,704 |
| 21 | Gardner-Webb University Boiling Springs, NC | $48,039 | $17,674 |
| 22 | Belmont Abbey College Belmont, NC | $47,937 | $24,639 |
| 23 | Barton College Wilson, NC | $47,913 | $23,626 |
| 24 | Guilford College Greensboro, NC | $47,590 | $22,270 |
| 25 | University of Mount Olive Mount Olive, NC | $47,139 | $18,853 |
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.
Get personalized Nursing school matches
Take the 3-minute fit quiz — we'll rank these schools (and the rest of the country) by your GPA, budget, and priorities, then email your top 5 with estimated net price after aid.
Nursing salary in other states
Other major salaries in North Carolina
Frequently asked questions
What do Nursing graduates earn in North Carolina?
The median 10-year earnings for Nursing graduates from North Carolina colleges is $47,590, with a range from $31,102 at lower-earning schools to $97,800 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 $97,800.
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.