2023 Best Nursing Associate Degree Schools in North Carolina
With all the nursing programs available today, it can be tough to choose which one is the best for you. As online education oppotunities continue to grow, you're not restricted to just schools in your local area anymore. Even some of the 'big name' schools are offering online courses. On top of that, there are a considerable number of trade schools and bootcamp that offer fast-track entry to many fields.
To help you arm yourself with the information you need to make your decision, Nursing Degree Search has developed this Best Nursing Associate Degree Schools in North Carolina ranking. This report analyzed 50 schools in North Carolina to see which ones offered the best associate degree programs for nursing students. The factors used to develop this ranking include those related to how in-demand the school us, the overall quality of the school, and post-graduation wages, and more.
View our full ranking methodology.
Featured schools near , edit
Top Nursing Associate Degree Schools in North Carolina
Learn more about these excellent schools below:
Our 2023 rankings named Central Piedmont Community College the best school in North Carolina for nursing students working on their associate degree. Located in Charlotte, North Carolina, the fairly large public school handed out 2,459 associate degree awards in 2021-2022.
The average in-state tuition and fees for students at Central Piedmont Community College is $2,792. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $8,936. Associate Degree recipients from Central Piedmont Community College accumulate an average of $6,146 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Some students may be able to take online classes at Central Piedmont Community College. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 97% took at least some of their classes online.
A rank of #2 on this year’s list means College of the Albemarle is a great place for nursing students working on their associate degree. College of the Albemarle is a small public school located in Elizabeth City, North Carolina that handed out 349 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
In-state students pay an average of $2,260 in tuition and fees if they attend College of the Albemarle full time. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $7,346.
One thing to take note of is that College of the Albemarle does offer online classes in some areas. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 97% took at least some of their classes online.
Out of the 50 schools in North Carolina that were part of this year’s ranking, Brunswick Community College landed the # 3 spot on the list. Brunswick Community College is a public institution located in Bolivia, North Carolina. The school has a small population, and it awarded 282 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
In-state students pay an average of $2,532 in tuition and fees if they attend Brunswick Community College full time. Out-of-state students pay an average of $8,676.
Brunswick Community College does offer online classes for certain degree levels. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 95% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.
The excellent associate degree programs at Surry Community College helped the school earn the #4 place on this year’s ranking of the best nursing schools in North Carolina. Located in Dobson, North Carolina, the small public school handed out 451 associate degree awards in 2021-2022.
Full-time students from North Carolina pay an average of $2,663 in tuition and fees if they choose to attend Surry Community College. Out-of-state students pay an average of $8,807.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since Surry Community College does offer online classes for certain majors. In 2020-2021 about 55% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
A rank of #5 on this year’s list means Forsyth Technical Community College is a great place for nursing students working on their associate degree. Forsyth Tech is a public institution located in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 1,113 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
In-state students pay an average of $2,152 in tuition and fees if they attend Forsyth Tech full time. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $7,168. On average, associate degree students take out $15,817 in loans while pursuing their degree.
One thing to take note of is that Forsyth Tech does offer online classes in some areas. In 2020-2021 about 73% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Craven Community College ranked #6 on this year’s Best Nursing Associate Degree Schools in North Carolina list. Craven Community College is a small public school situated in New Bern, North Carolina. It awarded 660 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
In-state students pay an average of $2,022 in tuition and fees if they attend Craven Community College full time. Out-of-state students pay an average of $6,630.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since Craven Community College does offer online classes for certain majors. During the 2020-2021 year, about 73% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
With a ranking of #7, Richmond Community College did quite well on this year’s best schools for nursing students working on their associate degree. Richmond Community College is a small public school located in Hamlet, North Carolina that handed out 391 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
Full-time students from North Carolina pay an average of $2,536 in tuition and fees if they choose to attend Richmond Community College. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $8,680.
You may have the opportunity to take online classes at Richmond Community College. In fact, around 57% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
With a ranking of #8, Johnston Community College did quite well on this year’s best schools for nursing students working on their associate degree. Johnston Community College is a public institution located in Smithfield, North Carolina. The school has a small population, and it awarded 671 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
In-state students pay an average of $2,657 in tuition and fees if they attend Johnston Community College full time. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $8,801.
Some students may be able to take online classes at Johnston Community College. During the 2020-2021 year, about 81% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
With a ranking of #9, South Piedmont Community College did quite well on this year’s best schools for nursing students working on their associate degree. South Piedmont Community College is a small public school situated in Polkton, North Carolina. It awarded 300 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
Students from North Carolina who attend South Piedmont Community College full time pay an average of $2,015 in tuition and fees. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $6,623.
South Piedmont Community College does offer online classes for certain degree levels. In 2020-2021 about 76% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
With a ranking of #10, Rowan-Cabarrus Community College did quite well on this year’s best schools for nursing students working on their associate degree. Rowan-Cabarrus Community College is a medium-sized public school situated in Salisbury, North Carolina. It awarded 810 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
In-state students pay an average of $2,024 in tuition and fees if they attend Rowan-Cabarrus Community College full time. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $6,632. Associate Degree recipients from Rowan-Cabarrus Community College accumulate an average of $10,696 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
One thing to take note of is that Rowan-Cabarrus Community College does offer online classes in some areas. In 2020-2021 about 82% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Alamance Community College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for nursing students to get an associate degree. It came in at #11 on the list. Located in Graham, North Carolina, the small public school awarded 573 diplomas to qualifed associate degree students in 2021-2022.
The average in-state tuition and fees for students at ACC is $2,498. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $8,642.
One thing to take note of is that ACC does offer online classes in some areas. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 94% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.
Sampson Community College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for nursing students to get an associate degree. It came in at #12 on the list. Sampson Community College is located in Clinton, North Carolina and has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 354 associate degrees to qualified students.
In-state students pay an average of $3,163 in tuition and fees if they attend Sampson Community College full time. Out-of-state students pay an average of $11,035.
You may have the opportunity to take online classes at Sampson Community College. During the 2020-2021 year, about 95% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
Gardner - Webb University came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Best Nursing Associate Degree Schools in North Carolina ranking. Gardner - Webb University is a small private not-for-profit school located in Boiling Springs, North Carolina that handed out 19 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
Gardner - Webb does not offer a discount to in-state students, so the average tuition and fees for all undergraduates is $32,200. This amount may be reduced if you receive financial aid.
Gardner - Webb does offer online classes for certain degree levels. In 2020-2021 about 55% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Wake Technical Community College came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Nursing Associate Degree Schools in North Carolina ranking. Wake Technical Community College is a large public school located in Raleigh, North Carolina that handed out 2,898 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
Students from North Carolina who attend Wake Technical Community College full time pay an average of $2,768 in tuition and fees. Out-of-state students pay an average of $8,912. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $19,897 in student loans.
Wake Technical Community College does offer online classes for certain degree levels. In fact, around 77% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
Pitt Community College ranked #15 on this year’s Best Nursing Associate Degree Schools in North Carolina list. Located in Winterville, North Carolina, the medium-sized public school awarded 1,062 diplomas to qualifed associate degree students in 2021-2022.
Full-time students from North Carolina pay an average of $1,940 in tuition and fees if they choose to attend Pitt Community College. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $6,548. On average, associate degree students take out $19,749 in loans while pursuing their degree.
If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since Pitt Community College does offer online classes for certain majors. In fact, around 77% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
Gaston College ranked #16 on this year’s Best Nursing Associate Degree Schools in North Carolina list. Located in Dallas, North Carolina, the medium-sized public school handed out 751 associate degree awards in 2021-2022.
Full-time students from North Carolina pay an average of $3,186 in tuition and fees if they choose to attend Gaston College. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $9,330.
Some students may be able to take online classes at Gaston College. During the 2020-2021 year, about 93% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
Wilson Community College landed the #17 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best associate degree nursing programs. WCC is a small public school situated in Wilson, North Carolina. It awarded 240 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
Full-time students from North Carolina pay an average of $2,920 in tuition and fees if they choose to attend WCC. Out-of-state students pay an average of $9,832. On average, associate degree students take out $14,397 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Some students may be able to take online classes at WCC. During the 2020-2021 year, about 85% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
Cape Fear Community College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for nursing students to get an associate degree. It came in at #18 on the list. Located in Wilmington, North Carolina, the fairly large public school awarded 1,335 diplomas to qualifed associate degree students in 2021-2022.
Full-time students from North Carolina pay an average of $2,748 in tuition and fees if they choose to attend CFCC. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $8,892. Associate Degree recipients from CFCC accumulate an average of $10,166 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Online courses are available at CFCC, but you will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your field of interest. In 2020-2021 about 78% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Sandhills Community College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for nursing students to get an associate degree. It came in at #19 on the list. Located in Pinehurst, North Carolina, the small public school handed out 684 associate degree awards in 2021-2022.
Full-time students from North Carolina pay an average of $2,764 in tuition and fees if they choose to attend SCC. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $8,908.
Some students may be able to take online classes at SCC. In fact, around 79% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
With a ranking of #20, Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College did quite well on this year’s best schools for nursing students working on their associate degree. Asheville, North Carolina is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associate degrees to 600 students in 2021-2022.
Students from North Carolina who attend A-B Tech full time pay an average of $2,832 in tuition and fees. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $8,976. On average, associate degree students take out $20,056 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at A-B Tech. During the 2020-2021 year, about 62% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.
Read full report on Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College
Davidson County Community College ranked #21 on this year’s Best Nursing Associate Degree Schools in North Carolina list. Davidson County Community College is a small public school located in Thomasville, North Carolina that handed out 522 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
The average in-state tuition and fees for students at DCCC is $2,208. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $7,852. On average, associate degree students take out $15,605 in loans while pursuing their degree.
Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at DCCC. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 66% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.
With a ranking of #22, Guilford Technical Community College did quite well on this year’s best schools for nursing students working on their associate degree. Guilford Technical Community College is a fairly large public school located in Jamestown, North Carolina that handed out 1,431 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
Full-time students from North Carolina pay an average of $2,319 in tuition and fees if they choose to attend Guilford Technical Community College. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $7,695. Associate Degree recipients from Guilford Technical Community College accumulate an average of $19,790 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.
Some students may be able to take online classes at Guilford Technical Community College. In 2020-2021 about 61% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.
Southeastern Community College landed the #23 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best associate degree nursing programs. This small public school is located in Whiteville, North Carolina, and it awarded 198 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
The average in-state tuition and fees for students at Southeastern Community College is $2,600. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $8,744.
Some students may be able to take online classes at Southeastern Community College. In fact, around 44% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.
With a ranking of #24, Cleveland Community College did quite well on this year’s best schools for nursing students working on their associate degree. Cleveland Community College is a small public school situated in Shelby, North Carolina. It awarded 467 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
Students from North Carolina who attend Cleveland Community College full time pay an average of $2,602 in tuition and fees. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $8,746.
Some students may be able to take online classes at Cleveland Community College. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 68% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.
Lenoir Community College ranked #25 on this year’s Best Nursing Associate Degree Schools in North Carolina list. Lenoir Community College is a public institution located in Kinston, North Carolina. The school has a small population, and it awarded 392 associate degrees in 2021-2022.
Full-time students from North Carolina pay an average of $2,568 in tuition and fees if they choose to attend Lenoir Community College. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $8,712.
One thing to take note of is that Lenoir Community College does offer online classes in some areas. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 95% took at least some of their classes online.
Best Nursing Associate Degree Schools in the Southeast Region
View Best Nursing Associate Degree Schools Nationwide >
Notes and References
Footnotes
*These averages are for the top 25 schools only.
References
- Read more about our ranking methodology.
- 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).
- Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.
More about our data sources and methodologies.
Featured Schools
Request Info
|
Southern New Hampshire University You have goals. Southern New Hampshire University can help you get there. Whether you need a bachelor's degree to get into a career or want a master's degree to move up in your current career, SNHU has an online program for you. Find your degree from over 200 online programs. Learn More > |
NursingDegreeSearch.com provides higher-education, college and university, degree, program, career, salary, and other helpful information to students, faculty, institutions, and other internet audiences. Presented information and data are subject to change. Inclusion on this website does not imply or represent a direct relationship with the company, school, or brand. Information, though believed correct at time of publication, may not be correct, and no warranty is provided. Contact the schools to verify any information before relying on it. Financial aid may be available for those who qualify. The displayed options may include sponsored or recommended results, not necessarily based on your preferences.
© NursingDegreeSearch.com – All Rights Reserved.