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Best Nursing Graduate Certificate Schools in North Carolina

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2023 Best Nursing Graduate Certificate Schools in North Carolina

10 Schools Ranked
$19,104 Avg Student Debt

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 Graduate Certificate Schools in North Carolina ranking. Our analysis looked at 10 schools in North Carolina to see which graduate certificate programs offered the best educational experiences 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.

Top Nursing Graduate Certificate Schools in North Carolina

Learn more about these excellent schools below:

#1

Duke University

Durham, North Carolina
$59,141 Average Tuition & Fees
$17,440 Avg Student Debt

Our 2023 rankings named Duke University the best school in North Carolina for nursing students working on their graduate certificate.

By the time they get their graduate certificate, students from this school have racked up an average of $17,440 in student loans.

If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since Duke does offer online graduate classes for certain majors. Of all the graduate students enrolled at the school during the 2019-2020 academic year, around 2% took at least some of their classes online.

Full Duke University Report

#2

Appalachian State University

Boone, North Carolina
$8,007 Average Tuition & Fees

Out of the 10 schools in North Carolina that were part of this year’s ranking, Appalachian State University landed the # 2 spot on the list.

You may have the opportunity to take online graduate classes at Appalachian State. During the 2019-2020 year, about 86% of the graduate students at the school took at least one online course.

Full Appalachian State University Report

#3

University of North Carolina at Charlotte

Charlotte, North Carolina
$7,713 Average Tuition & Fees

The excellent graduate certificate programs at University of North Carolina at Charlotte helped the school earn the #3 place on this year’s ranking of the best nursing schools in North Carolina.

One thing to take note of is that UNC Charlotte does offer online graduate classes in some areas. In 2019-2020 about 82% of the graduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.

Read More…

#4

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill, North Carolina
$12,566 Average Tuition & Fees
$16,691 Avg Student Debt

The excellent graduate certificate programs at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill helped the school earn the #4 place on this year’s ranking of the best nursing schools in North Carolina.

Graduate Certificate recipients from UNC Chapel Hill accumulate an average of $16,691 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.

UNC Chapel Hill does have options available for those who want to take online graduate classes. You will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your specific major. In fact, around 77% of the graduate population registered for at least one online class in 2019-2020.

Read full report on University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

#5

East Carolina University

Greenville, North Carolina
$7,594 Average Tuition & Fees

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend East Carolina University. The school came in at #5 on this year’s Best Nursing Graduate Certificate Schools in North Carolina list.

Some students may be able to take online graduate classes at ECU. Of all the graduate students enrolled at the school during the 2019-2020 academic year, around 80% took at least some of their classes online.

Read full report on East Carolina University

#6

Gardner - Webb University

Boiling Springs, North Carolina
$10,130 Average Tuition & Fees

Gardner - Webb University did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for nursing students to get a graduate certificate. It came in at #6 on the list.

Depending on your major, you may be able to take online graduate classes at Gardner - Webb. In 2019-2020 about 59% of the graduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.

Read More…

#7

University of North Carolina at Wilmington

Wilmington, North Carolina
$7,514 Average Tuition & Fees

With a ranking of #7, University of North Carolina at Wilmington did quite well on this year’s best schools for nursing students working on their graduate certificate.

UNCW does have options available for those who want to take online graduate classes. You will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your specific major. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 88% of graduates took at least one course online in 2019-2020.

Read More…

#8

Winston - Salem State University

Winston-Salem, North Carolina
$6,718 Average Tuition & Fees

Winston - Salem State University landed the #8 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best graduate certificate nursing programs.

Online graduate courses are available at WSSU, but you will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your field of interest. In 2019-2020 about 89% of the graduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.

Full Winston - Salem State University Report

#9

University of North Carolina at Greensboro

Greensboro, North Carolina
$8,265 Average Tuition & Fees

University of North Carolina at Greensboro ranked #9 on this year’s Best Nursing Graduate Certificate Schools in North Carolina list.

You may have the opportunity to take online graduate classes at UNC Greensboro. In 2019-2020 about 80% of the graduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.

Full University of North Carolina at Greensboro Report

#10

Queens University of Charlotte

Charlotte, North Carolina
$14,166 Average Tuition & Fees

Queens University of Charlotte landed the #10 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best graduate certificate nursing programs.

You may have the opportunity to take online graduate classes at Queens. During the 2019-2020 year, about 100% of the graduate students at the school took at least one online course.

Full Queens University of Charlotte Report

View Best Nursing Graduate Certificate Schools Nationwide >

Notes and References

Footnotes

*These averages are for the top 10 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.

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