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2025 Best Nursing Associate Degree Schools in North Carolina

54 Colleges in North Carolina
2,485 Associate Degrees
$67,747 Avg Early-Career Salary
If you pursue a associate degree in nursing, you won't be alone. The field of study is the #2 most popular program in the country. This means there are lots of options to choose from when you decide to get your degree.

College Factual reviewed 54 schools in North Carolina to determine which ones were the best for associate degree seekers in the field of nursing. Combined, these schools handed out 2,485 associate degrees in nursing to qualified students.

Jump to one of the following sections: * Our Methodology

Choosing a Great Nursing School for Your Associate Degree

Best Nursing Associate Degree Schools in North Carolina The nursing associate degree program you select can have a big impact on your future. Important measures of a quality nursing program can vary widely even among the top schools. To make it into this list, a school must excel in the following areas.

A Great Overall School

The overall quality of a associate degree school is important to ensure a quality education, not just how well they do in a particular major. To make it into this list a school must rank well in our overall Best Colleges ranking. This ranking considered factors such as graduation rates, overall graduate earnings and other educational resources to identify great colleges and universities.

Early-Career Earnings

Average early-career salary of those graduating with their associate degree is one indicator we use in our analysis to find the schools that offer the highest-quality education. That is, everyone wants their associate degree to be worth something, and salaries are one measure of determining that.

Other Factors We Consider

In addition to the above, you should consider some of the following factors:

Our full ranking methodology documents in more detail how we consider these factors to identify the best schools for nursing students working on their associate degree.

One Size Does Not Fit All

Rankings by Location Check Out Other Locales
More Nursing Rankings Other Ranking Categories

Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we've developed a number of rankings, including this Best Nursing Associate Degree Schools in North Carolina list, to help you choose the best school for you.

Best Schools for Associate Students to Study Nursing in North Carolina

Explore the top ranked colleges and universities for nursing students seeking a an associate degree. Only those schools that rank in the top 20% of all the schools we analyze get awarded with a place on this list.

10 Top North Carolina Schools for an Associate in Nursing

1

Any student pursuing a degree in an associate degree in nursing needs to take a look at Sampson Community College. Located in the town of Clinton, Sampson Community College is a public college with a small student population.

Soon after graduation, nursing associate recipients usually earn an average of $69,040 at the beginning of their careers.

More information about a associate in nursing from Sampson Community College

2

Richmond Community College is one of the finest schools in the United States for getting an associate degree in nursing. Richmond Community College is a small public college located in the town of Hamlet.

Associate recipients from the nursing degree program at Richmond Community College make $2,340 more than the typical college grad in this field shortly after graduation.

More information about a associate in nursing from Richmond Community College

3
120 Annual Graduates
$68,266 Median Starting Salary

Wake Technical Community College is a wonderful option for individuals pursuing an associate degree in nursing. Located in the large suburb of Raleigh, Wake Technical Community College is a public college with a very large student population.

Associate graduates who receive their degree from the nursing program earn an average of $68,266 for their early career.

More information about a associate in nursing from Wake Technical Community College

4
Gaston College crest
Gaston College
Dallas, NC

Gaston College is a great decision for individuals interested in an associate degree in nursing. Gaston College is a moderately-sized public college located in the midsize suburb of Dallas.

Associate students who receive their degree from the nursing program make about $68,245 in the first couple years of working.

More information about a associate in nursing from Gaston College

5

Cabarrus College of Health Sciences is a small private not-for-profit college located in the city of Concord.

Nursing associate degree recipients from Cabarrus College of Health Sciences earn a boost of around $3,493 above the typical income of nursing majors.

More information about a associate in nursing from Cabarrus College of Health Sciences

6
Gardner - Webb crest
Gardner - Webb University
Boiling Springs, NC
13 Annual Graduates
$67,979 Median Starting Salary
$27,862 Median Student Debt

Gardner - Webb is a small private not-for-profit university located in the rural area of Boiling Springs.

Associate students who receive their degree from the nursing program earn an average of $67,979 in their early career salary.

More information about a associate in nursing from Gardner - Webb University

7
111 Annual Graduates
$75,471 Median Starting Salary

Located in the large city of Charlotte, Carolinas College of Health Sciences is a public college with a small student population.

Associate recipients from the nursing program at Carolinas College of Health Sciences get $7,724 above the standard college grad in this field shortly after graduation.

More information about a associate in nursing from Carolinas College of Health Sciences

8

Brunswick Community College is a small public college located in the rural area of Bolivia.

Associate recipients from the nursing major at Brunswick Community College earn $3,858 more than the typical college graduate in this field when they enter the workforce.

More information about a associate in nursing from Brunswick Community College

9

Lenoir Community College is a small public college located in the town of Kinston.

Students who graduate with their associate from the nursing program report average early career income of $67,505.

More information about a associate in nursing from Lenoir Community College

10

Located in the large city of Durham, Durham Technical Community College is a public college with a small student population.

Associate students who receive their degree from the nursing program make about $66,430 in the first couple years of working.

More information about a associate in nursing from Durham Technical Community College

Additional Noteworthy Schools

These are some additional schools worth mentioning that are also great but just didn't quite make the cut to earn our top Best Nursing Associate Degree Schools in North Carolina award.

RankCollegeLocation
11Surry Community CollegeDobson, NC
12Central Piedmont Community CollegeCharlotte, NC
13Sandhills Community CollegePinehurst, NC
14Rockingham Community CollegeWentworth, NC
15Alamance Community CollegeGraham, NC
16Fayetteville Technical Community CollegeFayetteville, NC
17Davidson County Community CollegeThomasville, NC
18South Piedmont Community CollegePolkton, NC

Best Nursing Colleges in the Southeast Region

Explore all the Best Nursing Colleges in the Southeast Area or other specific states within that region.

StateCollegesDegrees Awarded
Mississippi1431,269
Georgia1211,473
Florida1219,083
Arkansas1051,212
Tennessee1021,235
Virginia972,569
West Virginia92813
Kentucky901,848
Louisiana80966
South Carolina771,223
Alabama692,116

View All Rankings >

One of 34 majors within the Health Professions area of study, Nursing has other similar majors worth exploring.

Nursing Focus Areas

MajorAnnual Graduates
Registered Nursing2,485

Majors Similar to Nursing

Related MajorAnnual Graduates
Allied Health Professions1,155
Health & Medical Administrative Services846
Allied Health & Medical Assisting Services593
Mental & Social Health Services347
Dental Support Services278
Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science166
Health/Medical Prep Programs98
Ophthalmic & Optometric Support Services12
Rehabilitation & Therapeutic Professions7
Somatic Bodywork & Therapeutic Services6

Notes and References

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