Home Schools University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Nursing
Health Professions · Nursing Rank #223 of 990

Nursingat University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Graduates earn $71,594/yr in their first year — about 5.0% below the national Nursing average. Base-case 10-year earnings $739K; scenarios range from $658K to $741K depending on AI disruption.

Chapel Hill, NC Public Bachelor's Degree
DegreeOutlook Score
85 ELITE
85
Optimistic
82
Pessimistic
Earnings
$71,594
1-year post-graduation
ROI
20.4x
Earnings : in-state tuition
10-yr Base
$739K
Cumulative base-case earnings
AI Risk
High
43% task exposure
Program Analysis

What this degree looks like at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Your nursing degree from UNC-Chapel Hill positions you well within the competitive Research Triangle healthcare market, home to world-class academic medical centers like UNC Health and Duke Health, alongside numerous community hospitals and specialty clinics. While initial salaries may reflect the regional cost of living and the extensive pipeline of talented graduates entering the local workforce, your strong clinical training and the program's reputation are invaluable. You'll have access to diverse clinical rotations and strong recruiting networks, often leading directly into these major local employers. The path to higher earnings typically involves specialization in areas like critical care or pediatrics, or pursuing advanced practice roles such as a Nurse Practitioner or Nurse Anesthetist, where your skills become highly differentiated. Given the evolving healthcare landscape, focus on developing critical thinking and complex care management skills that complement emerging technologies, ensuring your long-term career resilience.

AI Outlook Integration

Three scenarios, ten years out

Each scenario is a different assumption about how AI reshapes the career paths this major feeds into. Earnings projections stack the full 10-year cumulative trajectory; scores use the same 0–100 metric as the hero, recomputed under that scenario's assumptions.

Pessimistic
Mass Automation
$658K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score82/100
Earnings Multiple18.3x
Base Case
Moderate Integration
$739K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score85/100
Earnings Multiple20.6x
Optimistic
AI Augmentation
$741K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score85/100
Earnings Multiple20.6x
Earnings Trajectory

10 year projection

Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's starting earnings; optimistic and pessimistic adjust for AI's effect on each career path this major feeds into.

Career Paths

Where Nursing graduates typically work

Common career destinations for this program's graduates, weighted by the school's specific occupation mix. Salary is BLS national median; AI risk is per-role task-exposure research.

1
Nurse anesthetists
+8.6% 10-yr growth · 2,700 openings/yr
$223,210/yr
Low
2
Nurse practitioners
+40.1% 10-yr growth · 29,500 openings/yr
$129,210/yr
Moderate
3
Nurse midwives
+11.1% 10-yr growth · 500 openings/yr
$128,790/yr
Moderate
4
Medical and health services managers
+23.2% 10-yr growth · 62,100 openings/yr
$117,960/yr
Moderate
5
Registered nurses
+4.9% 10-yr growth · 189,100 openings/yr
$93,600/yr
Moderate
6
Nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondary
+16.8% 10-yr growth · 8,600 openings/yr
$79,940/yr
Moderate
Source: BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics, May 2024. AI exposure from OpenAI GPTs-are-GPTs and Felten AIOE research.
Compare & Explore

Peer schools offering Nursing

How University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill stacks up against other schools offering this major.

Highest earnings
Sonoma State University
CA · Public
91
DW Score
$126K
1-yr earn
39.1x
ROI
California State University-East Bay
CA · Public
91
DW Score
$124K
1-yr earn
56.0x
ROI
Samuel Merritt University
CA · Private nonprofit
67
DW Score
$119K
1-yr earn
California State University-Stanislaus
CA · Public
91
DW Score
$119K
1-yr earn
38.2x
ROI
Pacific Union College
CA · Private nonprofit
82
DW Score
$119K
1-yr earn
8.9x
ROI
Also at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Other top programs at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Other highest-scoring programs offered at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.

Consider the trade route

Not sure a 4-year degree is the right path? Trade programs in Nursing offer shorter timelines, lower debt, and strong AI resilience for hands-on careers.

Compare Nursing trade programs on TradeSchoolOutlook →
FAQ

Frequently asked about Nursing at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Nursing at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill?

This program scores 85/100 — placing it among the stronger programs for Nursing nationally. The score reflects above-average earnings, manageable AI risk, and solid financial return.

Will AI replace Nursing careers?

With 39% of typical job tasks exposed to AI, this is one of the higher-risk fields. Our pessimistic scenario projects $658,183 in decade earnings vs $741,031 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.

What makes University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's Nursing program stand out?

Ranked #223 of 990 programs nationally, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill lands in the top 25%. The ranking reflects a combination of graduate earnings, return on investment, and job market alignment.