Best Online Nursing Programs in Clayton, NC (2026)

Clayton, North Carolina has 5 accredited schools offering nursing programs, with tuition ranging from $2,336 to $16,798 per year for indexed programs. Clayton has a population of about 28,043. Median household income is $73,348 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 35.6% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Raleigh-Cary, NC metro area, the top-earning nursing-related role is Nurse Anesthetist at a median $155,250 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Nursing Schools to Clayton

The 5 accredited institutions below are the closest among the 5 schools in our directory that offer nursing programs near Clayton. Distances are calculated from Clayton city center.

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

Nursing Wages Near Clayton

Clayton is part of the Raleigh-Cary, NC metro area (BLS area code 39580). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to North Carolina statewide.

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.

Clayton at a Glance

Other Clayton-Area Cities With Nursing Programs

• Garner, NC – 10.0 mi away (28,776 pop)
• Smithfield, NC – 11.4 mi away (30,375 pop)
• Raleigh, NC – 16.3 mi away (1,005,457 pop)
• Fuquay-Varina, NC – 19.2 mi away (25,865 pop)
• Wake Forest, NC – 21.3 mi away (40,112 pop)

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited nursing schools are near Clayton, NC?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering nursing programs near Clayton. The closest is Johnston Community College in Smithfield, NC (12.6 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Wayne Community College (33.5 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying nursing roles near Clayton?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying nursing-related roles near Clayton are: Nurse Anesthetist ($155,250), Nurse Midwife ($132,070), Nurse Practitioner ($128,150). 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 Garner instead of Clayton?

Garner, NC is 10.0 miles from Clayton and has its own set of local nursing programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Clayton an affordable place to study nursing?

Clayton’s median household income of $73,348 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Clayton 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 Nursing Programs

• Nursing accreditation: what to look for
• Nursing concentrations and specializations
• Is a Nursing degree worth it?
• Main Nursing degree guide
• Online Nursing programs in North Carolina
• Nursing programs by state

Other Programs Available in Clayton

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

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Data verified: June 11, 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.