2027 Best Value Nursing Science Schools in North Carolina

[Nursing Science](/majors/health-care-professions/nursing/nursing-science/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong nursing science education at a price that pays off.
For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 5 schools to find the best return on investment for nursing science students.
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2027 Best Value Nursing Science Schools in North Carolina
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in nursing science, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Nursing Science Schools
University Of North Carolina At Greensboro earned the #1 spot for value among nursing science schools in North Carolina. Set in the city of Greensboro, University Of North Carolina At Greensboro is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $7,661 in tuition and fees, compared with $24,012 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for nursing science graduates is $24,701. Nursing Science graduates of University Of North Carolina At Greensboro earn a median of $103,649 early in their careers. Set against $24,701 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of North Carolina At Greensboro admits about 88% of applicants.
University Of North Carolina At Chapel Hill came in at #2 on our 2027 list of the best value nursing science schools. Located in the city of Chapel Hill, University Of North Carolina At Chapel Hill is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $8,994, while out-of-state students pay about $41,203. Students borrow a median of $23,026 to complete the nursing science program here. Early-career nursing science graduates make about $91,154. Set against $23,026 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 15% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at East Carolina University earned it the #3 place for nursing science. Set in the city of Greenville, East Carolina University is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $7,361, while out-of-state students pay about $23,638. Nursing Science graduates carry a median of $25,264 in student loans. Nursing Science graduates of East Carolina University earn a median of $96,898 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 89%.
Students looking for strong value in nursing science will find it at University Of North Carolina At Wilmington, which ranked #4. Set in the city of Wilmington, University Of North Carolina At Wilmington is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $7,277, compared with $24,152 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $22,000 to complete the nursing science program here. Early-career nursing science graduates make about $83,408. Set against $22,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 64% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in nursing science will find it at Duke University, which ranked #5. Located in the city of Durham, Duke University is a large private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $68,758. Typical student debt for nursing science graduates is $29,000. Soon after graduation, nursing science degree recipients from Duke University generally make around $116,855. That is a strong return on a $29,000 median debt. Roughly 6% of applicants are accepted.
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 5 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 5 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.