Best Online Healthcare Programs in Forest City, NC (2026)

Forest City, North Carolina has 5 accredited schools offering healthcare programs, with tuition ranging from $2,602 to $15,451 per year for indexed programs. Forest City has a population of about 7,368. Median household income is $35,897 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 17.2% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In North Carolina, the top-earning healthcare-related role is Medical and Health Services Manager at a median $114,410 annually (BLS, May 2025).


Closest Healthcare Schools to Forest City

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer healthcare programs near Forest City, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Forest City city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS data on every site update.

How We Rank Schools

Every school list on this site is ordered by the BOC Score, computed from the most recent school-level data published by the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and IPEDS). To qualify, a school must be currently operating and accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Each eligible school is then scored on five measures, percentile-ranked against schools at the same credential level:

  • Graduation rate 30%
  • Median earnings, 10 years after entry 25%
  • Average net price (lower is better) 20%
  • Retention rate 15%
  • Fully online availability 10%

Schools without enough outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score. On this page, schools are ordered by distance from Forest City. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

#1

Lenoir-Rhyne University

Hickory, NC 41.3 miles from Forest City BOC Score 41.8
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Acceptance rate 85%
Graduation rate 49%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $45,543
Avg net price $20,689/yr
Tuition
In‑state$31,900
Out‑of‑state$31,900
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 73%
  • Programs offered: 26

Source:Accreditor: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on CollegesIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Carolinas College of Health Sciences

Charlotte, NC 54.4 miles from Forest City BOC Score 83.9
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Acceptance rate 60%
Graduation rate 76%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $64,624
Tuition
In‑state$18,882
Out‑of‑state$18,882
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 4

Source:Accreditor: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on CollegesIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Appalachian State University

Boone, NC 61.6 miles from Forest City BOC Score 69.9
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 75%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $51,836
Avg net price $16,836/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 84%
  • Programs offered: 61

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

University of North Carolina at Charlotte

Charlotte, NC 64.4 miles from Forest City BOC Score 72.0
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 67%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $57,289
Avg net price $15,435/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 85%
  • Programs offered: 53

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

Cabarrus College of Health Sciences

Concord, NC 71.8 miles from Forest City BOC Score 79.6
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 72%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $58,708
Avg net price $17,618/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 100%
  • Programs offered: 8

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Western Carolina University

Cullowhee, NC 74.9 miles from Forest City BOC Score 63.0
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 65%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $49,458
Avg net price $13,315/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 77%
  • Programs offered: 48

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

Wingate University

Wingate, NC 84.2 miles from Forest City BOC Score 51.1
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 60%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $52,649
Avg net price $20,748/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 69%
  • Programs offered: 29

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Pfeiffer University

Misenheimer, NC 90.0 miles from Forest City BOC Score 44.3
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 47%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $51,562
Avg net price $19,076/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 70%
  • Programs offered: 15

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all North Carolina schools on the North Carolina healthcare page.


Healthcare Wages Near Forest City

OccupationMedian Annual Wage (North Carolina, statewide)
Medical and Health Services Manager$114,410
Health Information Technologist or Medical Registrar$63,010
Medical Records Specialist$49,620
Medical Secretary or Administrative Assistant$44,190
Healthcare Social Worker$63,280
Epidemiologist$84,770

Source: BLS, May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes wage data at the metro (MSA) and state level – not by individual city.


Forest City at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population7,368Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$35,897Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+17.2%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Healthcare-related employment in Rutherford County2,126 workers, 145 establishmentsBLS QCEW 2024 annual

Other Forest City-Area Cities With Healthcare Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited healthcare schools are near Forest City, NC?

Accredited schools offering healthcare programs near Forest City are listed on this page, ranked by BOC Score and distance from the city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS and College Scorecard data on every site update, so it stays current as programs open and close.

What are the highest-paying healthcare roles in North Carolina?

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying healthcare-related roles in North Carolina are: Medical and Health Services Manager ($114,410), Epidemiologist ($84,770), Healthcare Social Worker ($63,280). Wages for Forest City workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Shelby instead of Forest City?

Shelby, NC is 18.8 miles from Forest City and has its own set of local healthcare programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Forest City an affordable place to study healthcare?

Forest City’s median household income of $35,897 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Forest City while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and North Carolina public universities often offer reduced in-state online tuition.

How do I verify a program is accredited?

Confirm institutional accreditation via the U.S. Department of Education database (U.S. Dept. of Education database), and check for any program-specific accreditation listed by the school.


Learn More About Healthcare Programs

Other Programs Available in Forest City

Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Forest City:

Data verified: July 23, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2024–2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.