Best Nursing Schools Near Forest City, NC (2026)

Forest City, North Carolina has 5 accredited schools offering nursing programs, with tuition ranging from $2,030 to $47,091 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 nursing-related role is Nurse Anesthetist at a median $224,610 annually (BLS, May 2025).


Closest Nursing Schools to Forest City

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer nursing 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.

Ranked by BOC Score — U.S. Dept. of Education outcome data. Advertising never affects rankings.

Sort:
#1

Gardner-Webb University

Boiling Springs, NC 12.9 miles from Forest City
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
44.2 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 77%
Graduation rate 59%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $48,039
Avg net price $17,674/yr
Tuition
In‑state$34,760
Out‑of‑state$34,760
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 62%
  • Programs offered: 49

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

#2

Galen Health Institutes-Asheville

Asheville, NC 40.1 miles from Forest City
  • 4 year
46.1 BOC Score
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $61,480
Avg net price $28,602/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 1

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

Sponsored Ad
#3

Lenoir-Rhyne University

Hickory, NC 41.4 miles from Forest City
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
41.8 BOC Score
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: 57

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

#4

Belmont Abbey College

Belmont, NC 47.0 miles from Forest City
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
36.2 BOC Score
Graduation rate 46%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $47,937
Avg net price $24,639/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 70%
  • Programs offered: 25

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

Sponsored Ad
#5

Mars Hill University

Mars Hill, NC 51.3 miles from Forest City
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
34.8 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 68%
Graduation rate 43%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $44,781
Avg net price $19,910/yr
Tuition
In‑state$37,736
Out‑of‑state$37,736
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 66%
  • Programs offered: 29

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

#6

Carolinas College of Health Sciences

Charlotte, NC 54.2 miles from Forest City
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
83.9 BOC Score
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: 7

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

Sponsored Ad
#7

Chamberlain University-North Carolina

Charlotte, NC 54.7 miles from Forest City
  • 4 year
40.3 BOC Score
Graduation rate 59%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $92,405
Avg net price $38,436/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 40%
  • Programs offered: 1

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Lees-McRae College

Banner Elk, NC 57.3 miles from Forest City
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
39.4 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 77%
Graduation rate 43%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $43,415
Avg net price $28,340/yr
Tuition
In‑state$33,250
Out‑of‑state$33,250
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 65%
  • Programs offered: 19

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

Sponsored Ad

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


Nursing Wages Near Forest City

Occupation Median Annual Wage (North Carolina, statewide)
Registered Nurse $84,350
Licensed Practical Nurse $63,270
Nurse Anesthetist $224,610
Nurse Midwife $126,040
Nurse Practitioner $128,990
Nursing Assistant $38,460

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

Metric Value Source
Population 7,368 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $35,897 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 17.2% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Nursing-related employment in Rutherford County 685 workers, 30 establishments BLS QCEW 2024 annual

Other Forest City-Area Cities With Nursing Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

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

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering nursing programs near Forest City. The closest is Isothermal Community College in Spindale, NC (2.4 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is University of South Carolina-Upstate (24.0 miles). 4 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

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

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying nursing-related roles in North Carolina are: Nurse Anesthetist ($224,610), Nurse Practitioner ($128,990), Nurse Midwife ($126,040). 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 nursing 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 nursing?

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 Nursing Programs

Other Programs Available in Forest City

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

Data verified: September 6, 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.