Best Online Healthcare Programs in Wilmington, NC (2026)

Wilmington, North Carolina has a population of about 118,578. The city’s median household income is $63,900 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 45.8% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. There are 5 accredited healthcare programs within 100 miles of Wilmington, with tuition ranging from $2,532 to $13,977 per year. In the Wilmington, NC metro area, the top-earning healthcare-related role is Medical and Health Services Manager at a median $101,590 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2024).


Closest Healthcare Schools to Wilmington

The five accredited institutions below are the closest options indexed in our directory that offer healthcare programs. Distances are calculated from Wilmington city center.

SchoolCityDistanceTuitionOnline
College of WilmingtonWilmington, NC1.2 miContact school for pricing
University of North Carolina WilmingtonWilmington, NC1.4 miContact school for pricing
Miller-Motte College-WilmingtonWilmington, NC2.3 miContact school for pricing
Cape Fear Community CollegeWilmington, NC4.2 mi$2,748 - $13,977
Brunswick Community CollegeBolivia, NC23.0 mi$2,532 - $12,767

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


Healthcare Wages Near Wilmington

Wilmington is part of the Wilmington, NC metro area (BLS area code 48900). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to North Carolina statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Medical and Health Services Manager$101,590Wilmington, NC$105,384
Health Information Technologist or Medical Registrar$38,570Wilmington, NC$40,010
Medical Records Specialist$40,250Wilmington, NC$41,753
Medical Secretary or Administrative Assistant$38,220Wilmington, NC$39,647
Healthcare Social Worker$61,820Wilmington, NC$64,129
Epidemiologist$82,430NC statewide$85,508

Source: BLS, May 2024 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.


Wilmington at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population118,578Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$63,900Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+45.8%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)96.4 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024
Healthcare-related employment in New Hanover County22,549 workers, 1,117 establishmentsBLS QCEW 2024 annual

Other Wilmington-Area Cities With Healthcare Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited healthcare programs are near Wilmington, NC?

Our directory lists 5 healthcare programs within 100 miles of Wilmington. The closest is College of Wilmington in Wilmington, NC (1.2 miles), and the farthest in our top picks is Brunswick Community College (23.0 miles). 0 of these programs are offered fully online.

What are the highest-paying healthcare roles near Wilmington?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2024 wage data, the top-paying healthcare-related roles near Wilmington are: Medical and Health Services Manager ($101,590), Epidemiologist ($82,430), Healthcare Social Worker ($61,820). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with North Carolina statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Jacksonville instead of Wilmington?

Jacksonville, NC is 45.6 miles from Wilmington 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 Wilmington an affordable place to study healthcare?

Wilmington’s median household income of $63,900 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Wilmington 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.