2027 Best Value Nursing Practice Schools in North Carolina
[Nursing Practice](/majors/health-care-professions/nursing/nursing-practice/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 13 schools to find the best return on investment for nursing practice students.
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2027 Best Value Nursing Practice Schools in North Carolina
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in nursing practice, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Nursing Practice Schools
University Of North Carolina At Greensboro earned the #1 spot for value among nursing practice schools in North Carolina. University Of North Carolina At Greensboro is a very large public school located in the city of Greensboro. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $7,661, while out-of-state students pay about $24,012. Typical student debt for nursing practice graduates is $24,701. Nursing Practice graduates of University Of North Carolina At Greensboro earn a median of $103,649 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $24,701 median debt. The acceptance rate is 88%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of North Carolina At Pembroke earned it the #2 place for nursing practice. Located in the town of Pembroke, University Of North Carolina At Pembroke is a moderately-sized public university. In-state tuition and fees average $3,648, compared with $7,648 for out-of-state students. Nursing Practice graduates carry a median of $29,710 in student loans. Early-career nursing practice graduates make about $40,578. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 93% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in nursing practice will find it at North Carolina A And T State University, which ranked #3. North Carolina A And T State University is a large public school located in the city of Greensboro. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $6,813, while out-of-state students pay about $20,673. Typical student debt for nursing practice graduates is $28,353. Nursing Practice graduates of North Carolina A And T State University earn a median of $50,715 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $28,353 median debt. The acceptance rate is 50%.
A rank of #4 makes University Of North Carolina At Chapel Hill one of the best values for nursing practice. Set in the city of Chapel Hill, University Of North Carolina At Chapel Hill is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $8,994, with out-of-state students paying around $41,203. Typical student debt for nursing practice graduates is $23,026. Nursing Practice graduates of University Of North Carolina At Chapel Hill earn a median of $91,154 early in their careers. Set against $23,026 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 15% of applicants are accepted.
Western Carolina University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in nursing practice, landing the #5 spot this year. Set in the town of Cullowhee, Western Carolina University is a large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $4,630, while out-of-state students pay about $8,630. Typical student debt for nursing practice graduates is $23,163. Early-career nursing practice graduates make about $87,701. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Western Carolina University admits about 82% of applicants.
Winston Salem State University placed #6 among the best values for nursing practice. Located in the city of Winston-Salem, Winston Salem State University is a moderately-sized public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $6,126, while out-of-state students pay about $16,782. Students borrow a median of $24,082 to complete the nursing practice program here. Nursing Practice graduates of Winston Salem State University earn a median of $84,648 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 78%.
University Of North Carolina At Charlotte came in at #7 for value in nursing practice this year. Located in the city of Charlotte, University Of North Carolina At Charlotte is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $7,239, compared with $22,492 for out-of-state students. Nursing Practice graduates carry a median of $25,044 in student loans. Soon after graduation, nursing practice degree recipients from University Of North Carolina At Charlotte generally make around $95,753. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 80% of applicants are accepted.
East Carolina University placed #8 among the best values for nursing practice. Located in the city of Greenville, East Carolina University is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $7,361, compared with $23,638 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for nursing practice graduates is $25,264. Soon after graduation, nursing practice degree recipients from East Carolina University generally make around $96,898. That is a strong return on a $25,264 median debt. Roughly 89% of applicants are accepted.
Appalachian State University placed #9 among the best values for nursing practice. Appalachian State University is a very large public school located in the town of Boone. In-state tuition and fees average $7,579, while out-of-state students pay about $25,212. Students borrow a median of $20,000 to complete the nursing practice program here. Early-career nursing practice graduates make about $42,340. Set against $20,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 90%.
University Of North Carolina At Wilmington ranked #10 on our 2027 list of the best value nursing practice schools. University Of North Carolina At Wilmington is a very large public school located in the city of Wilmington. Students from in state pay about $7,277 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $24,152. Typical student debt for nursing practice graduates is $22,000. Nursing Practice graduates of University Of North Carolina At Wilmington earn a median of $83,408 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $22,000 median debt. The acceptance rate is 64%.
Lenoir Rhyne University ranked #11 on our 2027 list of the best value nursing practice schools. Lenoir Rhyne University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Hickory. In-state tuition and fees average $31,900. Students borrow a median of $26,300 to complete the nursing practice program here. Soon after graduation, nursing practice degree recipients from Lenoir Rhyne University generally make around $64,846. That is a strong return on a $26,300 median debt. The acceptance rate is 85%.
Wake Forest University earned the #12 position for value in nursing practice this year. Set in the city of Winston-Salem, Wake Forest University is a large private not-for-profit institution. Students from in state pay about $67,642 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $21,577 to complete the nursing practice program here. Soon after graduation, nursing practice degree recipients from Wake Forest University generally make around $202,919. Set against $21,577 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 22%.
Duke University came in at #13 for value in nursing practice this year. Set in the city of Durham, Duke University is a large private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $68,758. Students borrow a median of $29,000 to complete the nursing practice program here. Early-career nursing practice graduates make about $116,855. Set against $29,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Duke University admits about 6% of applicants.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 13 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 13 ranked schools only.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
