Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing at Nash Community College

Nash Community College's nursing graduates earn slightly below the middle of the pack—landing at the 40th percentile among North Carolina's 59 nursing programs. While starting salaries of $64,013 trail both the state median ($67,505) and national benchmark ($68,409), this gap represents roughly $3,500 annually compared to the typical NC nursing grad. More concerning is the comparison to top-performing NC community colleges: Robeson and Stanly graduates earn $13,000+ more in their first year, suggesting significant variation in employment outcomes even among similar programs in the state.

The debt load of $23,275 sits above the state median of $14,725, creating a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.36—manageable in absolute terms, but less favorable than many NC alternatives. Graduates can expect modest 6% earnings growth to $67,822 by year four, which helps close the gap with state averages but doesn't dramatically change the value equation. For families paying in-state community college tuition, this program provides a clear path to nursing credentials and solid middle-class earnings.

The straightforward math: your child enters a stable profession with predictable income, but Nash's outcomes lag behind roughly half of North Carolina's nursing programs. If admitted to higher-performing NC community colleges like Johnston or Central Piedmont, those options deliver meaningfully better starting salaries with often lower debt burdens.