2021 Best Nursing Schools in North Carolina

Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute has two campuses – Hudson and Boone, North Carolina.  They offer an associate’s degree program.  They also offer the Hickory RIBN Program, which is basically a collaborative program between CCC & TI and Lenoir-Rhyne University that allows a simultaneous transition for students to earn their BSN degree.

Western Piedmont Community College is located in Morganton, North Carolina.  WPCC offers an associate’s degree in nursing.  They are proud to note that in 2008, they were one of seven North Carolina community colleges to be designated an “exceptional” community college.

College of the Albemarle is located in Elizabeth City, North Carolina.  They offer an LPN program an LPN to ADN program and an ADN program.  They also offer a pre-BSN nursing pathway, which is for students who would like to obtain their general education credits but have not yet been admitted to a nursing program.  They also have an RN to BSN Step Center, which helps students who have recently graduated with their ADN assistance in selecting an RN to BSN/RN to MSN program.

Cape Fear Community College is located in Wilmington, North Carolina.  CFCC offers a practical nursing program, an RN program and a nursing transition option, which is an LPN to RN option.  They are proud to announce that their 2015 NCLEX-RN pass rate was 100%.

Carolinas College of Health Sciences is located within the Carolinas HealthCare System. Their college is devoted entirely to educating healthcare professionals.  They offer an associate’s degree program and an LPN to ADN program.  They like to brag that 80% of their graduates choose to take a position with Carolinas HealthCare System after graduating.

Forsyth Technical Community College is located in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.  They offer a practical nursing an associate’s degree program.  They also offer an LPN to RN transition option.  Annually, they offer 144 students admission into their ADN programs.  Students are accepted in the fall and spring semesters, with LPN to RN students gaining entrance during the fall semester only.  The LPN to RN program has classes in a traditional pattern on-campus, with the clinical portion during the evenings and weekends.

Mitchell Community College is located in Statesville, North Carolina.  They offer an associate’s degree RN.  MCC has a collaboration with Lenoir-Rhyne University called the Regionally Increasing Baccalaureate Nurses (RIBN), which allows a seamless transition for students after graduation in competing their BSN degree.

Surry Community College is located in Dobson, North Carolina.  They offer a practical nursing program, an ADN program, and a separate LPN to ADN program.  The programs uses a points system to determine entrance in the program.

Wake Technical Community College is located in Raleigh, North Carolina.  They offer an ADN degree and an advanced placement option for LPNs.  The WTCC Department of Nursing is “proud of our reputation in the community for preparing excellent, well-qualified nurses.”

James Sprunt Community College is located in Kenansville, North Carolina.  They offer both a practical nursing degree and an associate’s RN degree.  Students are accepted into the ADN program based on a points system; students can earn more points based on having a prior bachelor’s degree or healthcare experience, such as working as an LPN, paramedic, nurses aide, or a surgical tech.

Stanly Community College is located in Albemarle, North Carolina.  They offer Annie Ruth Kelley Associate Degree nursing program.  They also offer a Nursing – Returning LPN program, which is a program that allows an LPN to earn their RN in two semesters.

Gaston College is located in Dallas, North Carolina.  They offer a variety of nursing options – a practical nursing program, an ADN program, an LPN to ADN program and an RN to BSN program.  The RN to BSN program is a pathway program that is designed in conjunction with various local universities, which makes the program more affordable to the student.

Brunswick Community College is located in Bolivia, North Carolina.  BCC offers a practical nursing program and an ADN program.  Their ADN program requires that its students complete a certified nursing aide (CNA) certification or have their LPN prior to enrollment in the program.

Cabarrus College of Health Sciences is located within Carolinas Healthcare System.  The school educates a variety of healthcare professionals, from nurses to pharmacy technicians to occupational therapists.  The Louise Harkey School of Nursing offers an ADN program and a BSN program; the BSN program is specifically an RN to BSN program, allowing for a seamless transition to a bachelor’s degree for its ADN graduates.

Randolph Community College is located in Asheboro, North Carolina.  They offer a ADN program.  They also offer an RN to BSN Outreach Option, which is offered in conjunction with Winston-Salem University.  This allows students to be a student of Winston-Salem University, but take their classes (at least a portion of them) at Randolph Community College

Carteret Community College is located in Morehead City, North Carolina.  CCC offers a practical nursing program and an RN program.  They use a “points system” in deciding who gets in to their program and students with prior healthcare experience, such as LPNs, respiratory therapists, paramedics, and CNAs get extra points.

Robeson Community College is located in Lumberton, North Carolina.  RCC offers an 2 ADN options – a general ADN option and a premajor nursing option.  The premajor option allows the student to take university credits in preparation for a BSN degree after graduation from RCC, which will transfer to a variety of North Carolina universities.

Rowan-Cabarrus Community College is located in Salisbury, North Carolina.  RCCC offers a practical nursing program and an ADN program.  ADN program participants are required to earn their certified nursing assistant (CNA) certification prior to enrollment in the program.

Sandhills Community College is located in Pinehurst, North Carolina.  They offer an ADN program.  They have very specific requirements for their nursing program and everything must be completed according to their stages.  In addition, they require that their students obtain their certified nurses aide (CNA) certification prior to enrollment in the program.

Coastal Carolina Community College is located in Jacksonville, North Carolina.  CCCC offers a practical nursing program and an ADN program.  They also offer an ADN transition option, which allows LPNs to have advanced placement into the second semester of the program.

Gardner-Webb University is located in Boiling Springs, North Carolina.  The Hunt School of Nursing has had an ADN program since 1965 and has expanded to include a traditional BSN program, an RN to BSN program, an MSN program, which includes either education, FNP, or administration, and a DNP program.

Sampson Community College is located in Clinton, North Carolina.  SCC offers several options for its nursing students; they offer a traditional ADN program.  They also offer an advanced placement option for LPNs into their ADN program.  Unique to their program is the LPN to RN program that is offered online.

Lenoir Community College is located in Kinston, North Carolina.  LCC offers a practical nursing program, an ADN program and they also offer an advanced placement option for LPNs.  They offer a traditional program and also an evening program, making it easier for the working nurse to further their education.

Edgecombe Community College is located in Tarboro, North Carolina.  They offer a practical nursing program, an ADN program and an advanced placement option for LPNs.  ECC serves over 13,000 students on its 2 campuses; they received a national award in 2013 for preparing their students to be successful in the workplace.

Craven Community College is located in New Bern, North Carolina.  Their nursing department offers an LPN program, an ADN program and a transition option, which allows LPNs to enter the ADN program with advanced standing.  CCC is a military friendly institution, meaning that their programs are designed to be flexible for those with a military career and their dependents.

Wilkes Community College is located in Wilkesboro, North Carolina.  They offer an ADN program.  Unique to their program is that students must complete their certified nursing assistant (CNA) certification prior to enrollment in the program.  They also offer a dual enrollment option with Lenoir-Rhyne University, through the Hickory Collaborative RIBN, which allows students to simultaneously earn their ADN and BSN degrees.

Beaufort County Community College is located in Washington, North Carolina.  They offer an associate’s degree program.  They also offer an advanced placement option for LPNs.  Students who enter the program under the advanced placement option must have been employed as an LPN within the past 12 months.  They also offer an ADN to PN option; this is available for students who are not successful with their studies in the ADN program.

Central Carolina Community College (CCCC) has multiple locations in various counties in North Carolina – Chatham County, Harnett County and Lee County.  The Louise L. Tuller School of Nursing offers a practical nursing program and an RN program.  CCCC also has an articulation agreement with the University of North Carolina, which allows students an affordable way to earn their BSN after graduation.

Gardner-Webb University is located in Boiling Springs, North Carolina.  The Hunt School of Nursing has had an ADN program since 1965 and has expanded to include a traditional BSN program, an RN to BSN program, an MSN program, which includes either education, FNP, or administration, and a DNP program.

Duke University is located in Durham, North Carolina.  The Duke University School of Nursing (DUSON) is unique in that their only BSN program is an accelerated BSN (ABSN) – it is designed for adult learners with a prior bachelors degree.  DUSON’s primary focus is on educating nurses to advanced degrees; in fact, aside from the ABSN degree students, they graduated their last BSN students in 1983.

Western Carolina University is located in Cullowhee, North Carolina.  Their nursing department offers a pre-licensure BSN program, an accelerated BSN program (allowing a student with a prior bachelor’s degree to obtain a BSN degree) and an RN to BSN program, which is an online program.  Their programs are also offered at Biltmore Park Towne Square in Asheville, North Carolina; this location offers only a selection of majors, nursing being one of the few.

East Carolina University is located in Greenville, North Carolina.  They offer several BSN degree options – a traditional BSN degree, an accelerated BSN degree (for second degree students), an an RN to BSN degree.  East Carolina University has been in existence since 1908, when it broke ground as a teachers training institution.

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is located in Chapel  Hill, North Carolina.  UNC offers a bachelor’s degree.  Unique to their program is the RN to MSN option that they offer, in addition to various other graduate and doctoral options.  UNC’s BSN program originated in 1950, and was the first baccalaureate nursing program in North Carolina.  They were also the first to offer an MSN program in North Carolina, in 1955.

University of North Carolina Wilmington is located in Wilmington, North Carolina.  They offer a prelicensure BSN program and an RN to BSN program.  The RN to BSN program is offered online.  The RN to BSN program has six start-times throughout the year, making it a desirable option for the working nurse.

Fayetteville State University is located in Fayetteville, North Carolina.  Fayetteville State University offers a BSN program and an RN to BSN program.  The RN to BSN program has two options – a full-time option that is 2.5 semesters and a part-time option that is 5 semesters.  The traditional program requires students to attend on a full-time basis.

University of North Carolina at Greensboro is located in Greensboro, North Carolina.  They have a traditional BSN option, BSN for second-degree students and an RN to BSN option.  Their nursing program “is recognized by the National League for Nursing as a Center for Excellence in Nursing Education—one of just three in North Carolina.”

University of North Carolina at Pembroke is located in Pembroke, North Carolina.  UNC Pembroke was founded in 1887 as the Croatan Normal School and educated American Indian teachers.  Today, 62% of the student population is a minority.  They offer a BSN program and an RN to BSN program; they also partner with local community colleges in the RIBN program.