2026 Best Value Family Practice Nurse/Nursing Schools in North Carolina

[Family Practice Nurse/Nursing](/majors/health-care-professions/nursing/family-practice-nurse-nursing/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 5 schools to find the best return on investment for family practice nurse/nursing students.
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2026 Best Value Family Practice Nurse/Nursing Schools in North Carolina
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in family practice nurse/nursing, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Family Practice Nurse/Nursing Schools
Winston Salem State University tops our 2026 list of the best value family practice nurse/nursing schools in North Carolina. Winston Salem State University is a moderately-sized public school located in the city of Winston-Salem. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $6,126, while out-of-state students pay about $16,782. Family Practice Nurse/nursing graduates carry a median of $24,082 in student loans. Early-career family practice nurse/nursing graduates make about $84,648. That is a strong return on a $24,082 median debt. Winston Salem State University admits about 78% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at East Carolina University earned it the #2 place for family practice nurse/nursing. Located in the city of Greenville, East Carolina University is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $7,361, with out-of-state students paying around $23,638. Typical student debt for family practice nurse/nursing graduates is $25,264. Soon after graduation, family practice nurse/nursing degree recipients from East Carolina University generally make around $51,931. That is a strong return on a $25,264 median debt. The acceptance rate is 89%.
A rank of #3 makes University Of North Carolina At Wilmington one of the best values for family practice nurse/nursing. University Of North Carolina At Wilmington is a very large public school located in the city of Wilmington. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $7,277, compared with $24,152 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $22,000 to complete the family practice nurse/nursing program here. Early-career family practice nurse/nursing graduates make about $83,408. Set against $22,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 64% of applicants are accepted.
Gardner Webb University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in family practice nurse/nursing, landing the #4 spot this year. Set in the rural area of Boiling Springs, Gardner Webb University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $34,750. Family Practice Nurse/nursing graduates carry a median of $22,461 in student loans. Early-career family practice nurse/nursing graduates make about $86,315. Set against $22,461 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 77% of applicants are accepted.
Duke University came in at #5 on our 2026 list of the best value family practice nurse/nursing schools. Duke University is a large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Durham. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $68,758. Students borrow a median of $29,000 to complete the family practice nurse/nursing program here. Soon after graduation, family practice nurse/nursing degree recipients from Duke University generally make around $116,855. Set against $29,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 6%.
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Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 5 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 4 ranked schools only.
- 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).
More about our data sources and methodologies.