North Carolina
Best RN to BSN Programs in North Carolina, Ranked (2026)
How North Carolina's 6 RN to BSN Programs Rank on Cost and Completion
Tuition carries 55% of the score on this site and graduation rate 45%, so the cheapest program usually leads. In North Carolina it does not: University of North Carolina at Greensboro is the cheapest at $4,422 and finishes 3rd, because a 56% graduation rate gives back what the price wins.
Read the 6 ranked programs from top to bottom and the graduation rates come out 71%, 100%, 56%, 47%, 45%, 35%, a 36-point drop from first to last. Now read the in-state prices in the same order: $4,443, $17,892, $4,422, $19,500, $33,526, $33,720. Neither column orders this list on its own. Below the leading pair the two factors agree — the cheaper program is also the one that graduates more — so the ladder reads the same either way. At the top they disagree, and price wins by 0.6 of a point.
That shows up hardest at the top. University of North Carolina Wilmington finishes first with a score of 82.2 and Carolinas College of Health Sciences second with 81.6 — 0.6 of a point between them — while Carolinas College of Health Sciences charges $13,449 more a year, about 4 times the in-state price. Its 100% graduation rate bought back nearly all of that gap and not quite the rest. For a nurse living in North Carolina, those two are a tie on the model and a choice on temperament: pay $13,449 more a year for the completion record, or keep it and accept a 71% one.
Underneath the ranking, one institution carries most of the state's volume. University of North Carolina Wilmington confers 775 nursing bachelor's degrees a year against 308 across the other 5 ranked programs put together. Worth knowing what that number is and is not: IPEDS files all bachelor's-level nursing awards under one code, so it counts pre-licensure graduates alongside completion students and cannot be read as 775 working RNs a year. What it does tell you is which nursing school in North Carolina operates at scale, and scale usually means more start dates and more sections.
The 3/3 public-private split maps cleanly onto the ranking: every public program sits above every private one, and the bottom 3 are private nonprofits starting at $19,500. Pay does not argue for the expensive end. North Carolina RNs earn a median of $84,350 against $97,550 nationally, 33rd of 51 states — and that is a statewide pay level, not something a BSN moves.
One thing the ranking deliberately does not score: how the program actually runs. 4 of these 6 say on their own pages that the track is fully online, which is too thin to weight, so it is shown where a school says it and left alone where it does not. Whether coursework is asynchronous and whether you have to find your own preceptor are the questions that decide if this is doable on three twelve-hour shifts, and you will have to ask each school directly.
The 6 RN to BSN Programs in North Carolina, Ranked
Scored on in-state tuition (55%) and institutional graduation rate (45%). How we rank.
- 1st in North Carolina
University of North Carolina Wilmington
Wilmington, NC · Public Fully online $4,443 annual in-state tuition 71% institutional graduation rate 775 degrees a year 82.2 scoreAdmission is continuous with six start dates a year, and the 30-credit curriculum is delivered as a sequence of seven-week online courses that a full-time student can finish in as few as 12 months.Nursing accreditation on file: CCNE. DAPIP, . Learn more about University of North Carolina Wilmington's RN to BSN (opens the school's own site)UNCW's School of Nursing offers its RN-to-BSN entirely online, with no required campus visits. The curriculum is 30 credit hours built from nine core nursing courses plus one elective, taught in seven-week terms. Coursework covers health assessment for registered nurses, gerontological nursing, community health nursing, pathophysiology and evidence-based practice, and core concepts of leadership and management, and it ends with a two-credit capstone in which students synthesize nursing theory and practice experiences and document their transition to the baccalaureate-prepared RN role. Admission runs continuously across six terms a year (Fall 1 and 2, Spring 1 and 2, and Summer 1 and 2) so a student can start within a couple of months of applying. Students carrying a full-time load can complete the degree in as few as 12 months; the program's own FAQ puts the typical range at 12 to 18 months depending on transfer credits and enrollment pace.
Applicants need a current, valid and unencumbered RN license, an associate degree in nursing from an accredited institution, a minimum 2.4 cumulative college GPA, and official transcripts from every institution attended. Enrollment is not limited to North Carolina; the program states it is open to nurses in most U.S. states, with in-state tuition reserved for North Carolina residents. Instead of scheduled clinical rotations, the program uses practice experiences: experiential learning in any setting where health care is delivered or health is influenced, spanning both direct and indirect care activities that affect health outcomes. Estimated total tuition and fees at 2026-27 rates, assuming part-time enrollment, are $6,500.40 for in-state residents and $29,874.30 for out-of-state residents. The baccalaureate nursing programs at UNCW are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education. UNCW also runs Try Teal, which lets Cape Fear Community College ADN students take two UNCW RN-BSN courses at no cost and earn conditional admission to the program.
- 30 credit hours
- 100% online, no campus visits
- Six start dates per year
- Unencumbered RN license required
- 2.4 minimum cumulative GPA
- 2nd in North Carolina
Carolinas College of Health Sciences
Charlotte, NC · Public Fully online $17,892 annual in-state tuition 100% institutional graduation rate 25 degrees a year 81.6 scoreCarolinas College reviews all previous coursework for transfer credit regardless of when it was taken, with no date limits, and runs a Fair Transfer Promise partnership with North Carolina community colleges.Nursing accreditation on file: CCNE. DAPIP, . Learn more about Carolinas College of Health Sciences's RN to BSN (opens the school's own site)The RN-BSN program at Carolinas College of Health Sciences is 100% online and built for practicing RNs, which the page says allows students to work full time while meeting their educational goals. It can be completed in as few as 12 to 18 months. Admission takes three things: a completed application submitted by the deadline, college transcripts showing a minimum 2.25 cumulative GPA, and proof of a current, unencumbered RN license. The baccalaureate degree program in nursing is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.
Coursework combines higher-level general education with nursing courses. Upper-level general education completed at other institutions may be eligible for transfer credit, evaluated after an accepted student has paid the deposit, and the college reviews all previous coursework for transfer regardless of when the course was taken, with no date limits. A Fair Transfer Promise partnership with North Carolina community colleges is aimed at nursing graduates moving on to the bachelor's. The college is owned by Atrium Health, and eligible Atrium Health teammates may receive financial reimbursement for approved academic courses through the Educational Assistance program. The program starts three times a year, with priority deadlines of March 1 for the August start, July 1 for January, and November 1 for May.
- 100% online
- 12 to 18 months
- Unencumbered RN license required
- 2.25 minimum cumulative GPA
- CCNE-accredited
- 3rd in North Carolina
University of North Carolina at Greensboro
Greensboro, NC · Public Fully online $4,422 annual in-state tuition 56% institutional graduation rate 235 degrees a year 75 scoreUNCG's RN to BSN pathway runs entirely online with no campus visits required, sets no prerequisite courses, and can be finished in as little as 12 to 24 months depending on how many transfer credits are approved.Nursing accreditation on file: ACEN and CCNE. DAPIP, . Learn more about University of North Carolina at Greensboro's RN to BSN (opens the school's own site)UNCG's School of Nursing runs the RN to BSN pathway for nurses who are already licensed. Students must hold a current, active, unrestricted RN license in North Carolina or in a state covered by the multi-state Nurse Licensure Compact before enrolling in the required nursing courses, and must keep that license active the entire time they are enrolled in those courses. University admission asks for a cumulative 2.0 GPA from all previously attended higher education institutions. The program sets no prerequisite courses, though it strongly recommends a college-level statistics course and requires students who have not already taken one to complete it to fulfill their degree requirements. College-level transfer credits are evaluated case by case, and the school offers a transcript review with an RN to BSN specialist before you apply.
Coursework is 100% online with no campus visits required, though enrolled students can still use campus study areas and the library if they want to. Completion runs as little as 12 to 24 months, depending on how many transfer credits are approved and how many credits remain to graduate, and students balancing other commitments can take longer. Applications are due August 1 for fall entry and December 1 for spring. Online students have access to academic advisors, student success advisors and technical support, and the school holds information sessions for prospective students every Wednesday at 10 a.m. or 3 p.m.
- 100% online, no campus visits
- 12-24 months to complete
- NC or Nurse Licensure Compact RN license required
- 2.0 minimum cumulative GPA
- No prerequisite courses
- 4th in North Carolina
Belmont Abbey College
Belmont, NC · Private nonprofit Online $19,500 annual in-state tuition 47% institutional graduation rate 19 degrees a year 54.2 scoreAfter finishing the first semester of nursing coursework, students are awarded 30 credit hours for prior learning from their earlier nursing degree, with competencies demonstrated through an unencumbered RN license.Nursing accreditation on file: CCNE. DAPIP, . Learn more about Belmont Abbey College's RN to BSN (opens the school's own site)Belmont Abbey College's RN to BSN is a post-licensure completion program for nurses who already hold an associate or diploma degree in nursing. Coursework is delivered online in an 8-week accelerated format. The degree totals 122 credits, built from the general education requirements in the NCICU articulation agreement, prior learning credit, and the nursing degree requirements themselves. Once students complete the first semester of nursing courses, the college awards 30 credit hours for prior learning from the previous nursing degree, with competencies demonstrated via an unencumbered RN license. Students must still complete a minimum of 30 credit hours at Belmont Abbey College to graduate. Tuition is $349 per semester hour with no out-of-state rate; books are not included.
To be eligible, applicants must have graduated from an accredited associate or diploma nursing program with a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0, hold a current unencumbered RN license with no charges by a state board of nursing, earn at least a C in all required RN-BSN prerequisites, and hold a 2.0 GPA or better in all college coursework eligible for transfer. The prerequisite courses are Human Anatomy and Physiology I and II, Microbiology, Introduction to Psychology, and Developmental or Lifespan Psychology. Applications are submitted through NursingCAS. Belmont Abbey participates in the Uniform Articulation Agreement between North Carolina Independent Colleges and Universities, which sets the RN-BSN general education requirements. The baccalaureate nursing program is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education. Because of the online format, the RN-BSN is not currently available to international students. The program's academic advisor is Megan Wilson, and the nursing department can be reached at nursing@bac.edu.
- 122 total credits
- 30 credits awarded for prior nursing learning
- Online, 8-week accelerated format
- $349 per semester hour
- Unencumbered RN license required
- 5th in North Carolina
William Peace University
Raleigh, NC · Private nonprofit Online $33,526 annual in-state tuition 45% institutional graduation rate 10 degrees a year 38 scoreNursing courses are priced at $220 per credit hour, or $198 for employees of partner health systems, and when a student cannot complete clinical hours at their own workplace the department chair arranges the site and preceptor.Nursing accreditation on file: CCNE. DAPIP, . Learn more about William Peace University's RN to BSN (opens the school's own site)William Peace University's RN to BSN program admits nurses who already hold a current unrestricted RN license earned through a diploma or an associate degree, along with a cumulative undergraduate GPA of 2.0 or higher. The degree totals 120 credit hours, made up of 30 hours of nursing coursework from the prior nursing degree, 60 liberal education hours taken at Peace or transferred in, and 30 hours of upper-division nursing courses at Peace; up to 90 credit hours may transfer in. The Peace portion runs across eight four-credit nursing courses, six of them seven weeks and fully online, with Community & Population Health and Leadership & Management running 14 weeks online or hybrid. Nurses who already hold a B.A. or B.S. in another field take only the nursing courses plus statistics. The nursing curriculum can be completed in as little as 12 months depending on transfer credit and pace of study, and Online Programs offers six start dates a year in January, March, May, June, August and October.
Coursework is online, though the program is not fully remote. Nursing classes meet Thursday evenings, online, on campus, or in a classroom at a partner hospital in the Raleigh/Durham area, and every student completes clinical practice experiences built from direct and indirect care activities. Students may complete those hours at their own place of employment when course objectives, the employer and preceptor availability allow; when that is not workable, the department chair assists in finding a clinical site and preceptor. A student placed at a site where they are not employed may have to complete that site's onboarding, including immunization, orientation modules, and a criminal background check and drug screen, which the university provides at no cost. The baccalaureate nursing program is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education. For 2026-27, nursing courses run $220 per credit hour, or $198 with a partner discount, plus a $55 comprehensive fee per term, and parking is free.
- Complete in as little as 12 months
- 120 credits, up to 90 transferable
- Unrestricted RN license required
- CCNE accredited
- $220 per credit hour; $198 with partner discount
- 6th in North Carolina
Pfeiffer University
Misenheimer, NC · Private nonprofit Fully online $33,720 annual in-state tuition 35% institutional graduation rate 19 degrees a year 32.9 scorePfeiffer’s nursing major combines 26 course credits with 26 credits for nursing experience.Nursing accreditation on file: CCNE. DAPIP, . Learn more about Pfeiffer University's RN to BSN (opens the school's own site)Pfeiffer's 52-credit nursing major is split between 26 nursing-core course credits and 26 credits for nursing experience. That distinction matters when comparing the major with another RN-to-BSN: the headline does not mean you will take 52 credits of new nursing classes. The program itself is fully online.
The bachelor's degree requires 120 credits, and the published plan identifies 11 prerequisite credits in addition to the major. Have prior coursework and experience evaluated against those separate requirements before estimating how much remains.
- 100% online program
- 26 nursing-core course credits
- 26 credits for nursing experience
- 52-credit nursing major
- 120-credit complete degree
Two Prices $21 Apart, Then a Jump of 4x
University of North Carolina at Greensboro lists $4,422 in-state and University of North Carolina Wilmington lists $4,443 — the two cheapest programs in North Carolina are $21 apart, which is nothing. The third price on the ladder is $17,892, about 4 times either of them, and from there it climbs to $33,720 at Pfeiffer University. Bottom to top that is a factor of 7.6.
The median of $18,696 is a poor description of anything, and no program charges it. It lands in the step between the 3 public programs below it and the 3 private ones above, because the ladder has nothing in the middle. Decide which side you are shopping on first; comparing across the step is comparing two different purchases.
Out-of-state changes the shape entirely. The flat-rate programs charge one price to everyone — Pfeiffer University lists $33,720 either way — while University of North Carolina Wilmington goes from $4,443 to $21,318 once you cross the line. If you are outside North Carolina, the public advantage largely evaporates and the comparison has to be rerun on non-resident rates.
All of these are annual published tuition figures from IPEDS, not the price of the completion track. Most RN-to-BSN programs run about 30 upper-level credits, so what you actually pay turns on how much of your ADN transfers and how many terms you stretch it over. Ask every school on your list for a total-to-degree figure and how it treats general education you have already finished. Per-credit pricing is how this field hides the number.
North Carolina Employs 111,120 RNs and Pays Them 33rd of 51
BLS reports a median of $84,350 — 40.56 an hour — for North Carolina's 111,120 registered nurses, with the distribution running from $67,660 at the 10th percentile to $110,220 at the 90th. That is $13,200 below the national median of $97,550, and it places North Carolina 33rd of 51 states. It is a large nursing workforce paid in the lower half of the country.
The $42,560 spread between the 10th and 90th percentiles is where the argument for this degree actually lives. BLS reports all registered nurses as a single occupation and does not separate pay by degree, so there is no federal figure for what a North Carolina BSN earns against a North Carolina ADN, and anyone quoting one has invented it. What the credential is associated with is access to the roles sitting above that median — charge and management tracks, case management, public health — rather than a raise in the job you have now.
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 release.
1 More North Carolina Program, Confirmed but Outside the Ranking
This one runs an RN-to-BSN completion track. It could not be scored: the model needs a graduation rate and an award count from the federal file, and one of those inputs is empty or below the size threshold . That is a limit on what can be compared, not a verdict on the program — if it is convenient to you, it belongs on your list.
- North Carolina Wesleyan University, Rocky Mount — Confers fewer than 10 degrees a year, too few to compare