What can you do with a Nursing degree from Western Carolina University?

First, some facts. Of the Nursing graduates from Western Carolina University we've analyzed , here's how many have used (or NOT used) their degree in their career:

These are estimates based on AI analysis of 10 LinkedIn profiles (see below).

The verdict? Significantly above average. Overall, with an average relevance score of 84%, Nursing graduates from Western Carolina University have a much higher likelihood (+17%) of finding work in this field compared to the average graduate across all fields:

And for comparison, here's the chart for all profiles we've looked at across all degrees.

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Also, after graduating, only 30% of these graduates have pursued further education other than another Bachelor's degree (such as a Masters degree or other), compared to the average across all profiles of 35%. This suggests a Bachelors degree is enough for most Nursing graduates, and it's normal to look for work straight after graduation.

See the details:

• What jobs can you get with a Nursing degree from Western Carolina University?
• What do Nursing graduates from Western Carolina University do 1, 5 or 10 years out?
• How hard is a Nursing degree from Western Carolina University? How long does it take?
• How much money can you make with a Nursing degree from Western Carolina University?
• What are the best colleges for Nursing?

View a random Nursing graduate from Western Carolina University and our analysis:

Relevance score: 100% We think this person has gone into a career highly relevant to their degree. DEGREE INFO Graduated in 2023 from Western Carolina University with a Bachelor's degree in Nursing. No other secondary education since. JOB HISTORY SINCE GRADUATION Registered Nurse HCA Healthcare Feb 2024 - Present As a Registered Nurse at HCA Healthcare, the job requires extensive nursing knowledge and skills directly obtained from the Bachelor's degree in Nursing, making it highly relevant. ABOUT Hello my name is [NAME REMOVED] Jackson, future nurse.I am currently a senior at Appalachian State University and will graduate Appalachian State University with a degree in Psychology. My degree in Psychology will allow me to better pursue nursing and to become a more well rounded nurse. After I graduate from Appalachian State in May 2022 I will immediately start an accelerated nursing at Western Carolina University in order to obtain a Bachelor's in Nursing. My overall goal in life is to directly help as many people as possible, and I believe nursing will allow me to achieve that goal best. Contact Information:Email: [EMAIL REMOVED]

What jobs can you get with a Nursing degree from Western Carolina University?

The top 10 most common jobs done by the graduates we've analyzed (ranked most common to least) are:

• Registered Nurse
• Staff Registered Nurse
• Family Nurse Practitioner
• Nursing Unit Supervisor, Team Leader
• Operating Room Manager
• Interim Director Operating Room
• Associate Director, Director Development Program
• Director Of Surgical Services
• Senior Clinical Sales Specialist
• Founding Partner

From analyzing the job profiles of graduates with a degree in Nursing from Western Carolina University, it’s clear that many have secured positions that are directly relevant to their studies. Common roles include Registered Nurses, Nursing Educators, and specialized positions like Family Nurse Practitioners and Nursing Supervisors. These jobs typically involve applying clinical skills and knowledge learned during their degree, indicating a strong connection to the nursing field. For instance, positions like Staff Registered Nurse and Family Nurse Practitioner require not just basic nursing skills, but also advanced competencies that align closely with their educational background.

However, not all roles are as clearly tied to nursing. Some graduates have ventured into areas that utilize some of their nursing knowledge but don’t necessarily involve direct patient care, like Health Science Educator or roles in healthcare management. A few have even taken paths completely detached from traditional nursing, such as photography or real estate. So while the majority of these professionals have jobs firmly rooted in nursing, there are exceptions, showing that nursing graduates can branch out into diverse fields over time. Overall, it seems that the degree provides a stable foundation for nursing careers, but there's flexibility to explore varied opportunities too.

Here is a visual representation of the most common words in job titles for Nursing graduates (this is across all Nursing graduates we've analyzed, not just those who went to Western Carolina University):

What kind of career trajectories do Nursing graduates from Western Carolina University have? What do they do 1, 5 or 10 years out?

It looks like graduates from the Nursing program at Western Carolina University have generally embarked on pretty solid career paths. For many of them, the first job after graduation tends to be as a Registered Nurse (RN) in various healthcare settings like hospitals, health departments, and even community colleges. This initial role seems to set a strong foundation for their professional development in the nursing field. For example, several graduates have held RN positions for several years with the same organization, which suggests they find stability and growth in their roles. A few have even transitioned into nursing education or health services management, which highlights the versatility of a nursing degree. Overall, the early career moves are aligning well with their education and training, which is a good sign.

Looking five or ten years down the line, it’s evident that many of these nurses continue to advance in their careers. Some have moved into leadership roles, such as Nursing Supervisor or Director of Surgical Services, while others have branched out into specialized areas like Family Nurse Practitioners or nurse educators. A few have even taken on roles that are less traditional for nurses, such as in sales or aesthetics. While some paths may seem a bit divergent from their initial nursing roles, the trend overall is that these graduates are leveraging their nursing education to find meaningful and rewarding careers, whether within healthcare systems or outside of them. So, if you’re considering nursing, it looks like a degree from Western Carolina can lead you down some exciting and diverse paths!

How hard is a Nursing degree from Western Carolina University?

Getting a Bachelor’s degree in Nursing usually isn't a walk in the park, and that's pretty true for Western Carolina University as well. The program can be quite challenging because it involves a mix of rigorous coursework, like anatomy and pharmacology, and hands-on clinical practice, where you're actually working with patients. Balancing all those science classes and clinical hours can be tough, and you’ll need to stay organized and motivated. Some students find it pretty demanding, especially when exams roll around or during intense clinical weeks, but it’s also super rewarding if you’re passionate about healthcare. So, while it might be harder than some other degrees, if you're dedicated and willing to put in the work, you can totally handle it!

How long does it take?

Most commonly, in the LinkedIn profiles we've looked at, it takes people 3 years to finish a Bachelor degree in Nursing.

Do Nursing graduates from Western Carolina University tend to make good money?

Looking at the career paths of these nursing graduates from Western Carolina University, it seems like they’ve generally found decent financial stability, especially as they advanced in their careers. Many started off as registered nurses, which is a good entry point with solid pay, and a few have moved into specialized roles or even leadership positions, like Nurse Practitioners or management roles in healthcare. The jump from RN to Nurse Practitioner, for example, typically leads to a significant pay increase. Plus, some are even branching out into unique areas like aesthetic nursing or educational roles, which can also be lucrative. Overall, it looks like these grads have been able to build a good foundation and potentially earn a comfortable living over time.

What buzzwords do Nursing graduates use to describe themselves?

Here is a visual representation of the most common words seen in the "about" section of LinkedIn profiles who have a Bachelor degree in Nursing (this is across all Nursing graduates we've analyzed, not just those who went to Western Carolina University). This may or may not be useful:

What are the best colleges for Nursing?

Here are all colleges offering a Bachelor degree in Nursing (ordered by the average relevance score of their Nursing graduates, best to worst) where we have analyzed at least 10 of their graduates:

College	Score	Count
University of Pittsburgh	100	11
University of Louisville	100	18
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania	100	11
Excelsior College	100	12
Austin Peay State University	100	11
Widener University	100	22
University of Missouri-Columbia	99	12
Towson University	99	29
San Diego State University	99	19
Florida Atlantic University	99	21
University of Virginia	99	19
California State University-Long Beach	99	11
University of Massachusetts, Amherst	99	10
Quinnipiac University	99	26
Fairfield University	99	23
Columbus State University	99	10
University of South Carolina Upstate	99	15
University of Scranton	99	10
Angelo State University	99	10
Aurora University	99	12
Auburn University at Montgomery	99	10
Viterbo University	99	10
The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston	99	15
Drexel University College of Nursing & Health Professions Division of Undergraduate Nursing	99	11
Galen College of Nursing	99	13
The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth)	99	11
Duquesne University School of Nursing	99	11
Michigan State University	98	16
Liberty University	98	24
Grand Valley State University	98	20
University of Delaware	98	20
Northern Arizona University	98	26
Northeastern University	98	20
University of Connecticut	98	15
Drexel University	98	18
Boston College	98	13
University of Massachusetts Lowell	98	11
Minnesota State University, Mankato	98	12
North Dakota State University	98	14
California State University San Marcos	98	16
New Mexico State University	98	10
Tarleton State University	98	10
University of Portland	98	20
University of Wisconsin Oshkosh	98	10
Purdue University Northwest	98	11
Curry College	98	20
Mount Saint Mary College	98	15
University of St. Francis	98	10
Regis College	98	16
Clarkson College	98	10
University of Wisconsin-Madison	97	18
Brigham Young University	97	27
San Francisco State University	97	23
James Madison University	97	28
California State University-Sacramento	97	12
Illinois State University	97	13
Brigham Young University - Idaho	97	26
University of Cincinnati	97	22
Ball State University	97	12
Old Dominion University	97	13
West Chester University of Pennsylvania	97	15
University of Illinois at Chicago	97	15
University of Louisiana at Lafayette	97	20
Stephen F. Austin State University	97	17
Seton Hall University	97	10
New Jersey City University	97	10
Miami Dade College	97	19
West Coast University	97	126
The College of St. Scholastica	97	27
Molloy College	97	25
Indiana University Kokomo	97	10
Resurrection University	97	16
Penn State University	96	27
University of Central Florida	96	37
Texas A&M University	96	13
University of Florida	96	21
University of Arizona	96	15
University of Kentucky	96	14
The University of Alabama	96	16
University of South Carolina	96	14
University of New Hampshire	96	14
Boise State University	96	15
San Diego State University-California State University	96	12
Marquette University	96	13
University of San Francisco	96	33
University of Massachusetts Boston	96	19
Saginaw Valley State University	96	15
University of Missouri-Saint Louis	96	10
Ramapo College of New Jersey	96	16
Seattle University	96	22
National University	96	19
Bethel University	96	17
Creighton University	96	10
La Salle University	96	20
Midwestern State University	96	10
Saint Anselm College	96	10
King University	96	12
Mount Saint Mary's University	96	12
Mississippi University for Women	96	11
College of Mount Saint Vincent	96	14
Holy Family University	96	12
University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center	96	13
Samuel Merritt University	96	16
Arizona State University	95	42
Florida State University	95	13
Purdue University	95	24
University of Michigan	95	15
West Virginia University	95	18
University of Arkansas	95	29
Kennesaw State University	95	12
Sam Houston State University	95	16
The University of Akron	95	17
University of Miami	95	14
The University of Texas at El Paso	95	15
Loyola University Chicago	95	22
Azusa Pacific University	95	28
Capella University	95	51
Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi	95	19
California Baptist University	95	34
Winona State University	95	19
University of North Carolina Wilmington	95	12
Wilmington University	95	11
Salem State University	95	14
The University of Toledo	95	11
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville	95	12
Stevenson University	95	10
University of Indianapolis	95	11
Valparaiso University	95	12
SUNY Brockport	95	12
Salve Regina University	95	10
MidAmerica Nazarene University	95	10
The Ohio State University	94	26
The University of Texas at Austin	94	22
University of South Florida	94	34
Western Governors University	94	227
San Jose State University	94	21
Kent State University	94	35
University of Pennsylvania	94	12
Texas Woman's University	94	39
Saint Louis University	94	18
Chamberlain University	94	250
Lamar University	94	16
University of Texas at Tyler	94	19
University of Massachusetts Dartmouth	94	10
University of Michigan-Flint	94	14
Georgia College & State University	94	11
Bemidji State University	94	11
Pacific Lutheran University	94	11
Saint Xavier University	94	13
Jacksonville University	94	18
Wagner College	94	12
Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences	94	22
University of Detroit Mercy	94	16
Aspen University	94	10
Grand Canyon University	93	195
Auburn University	93	17
East Carolina University	93	36
Baylor University	93	13
Oakland University	93	23
Eastern Michigan University	93	14
California State University-San Bernardino	93	10
Texas Christian University	93	25
Northern Kentucky University	93	10
The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga	93	10
Villanova University	93	30
Indiana Wesleyan University	93	46
University of Central Missouri	93	10
Hunter College	93	18
Adelphi University	93	38
Sacred Heart University	93	15
Simmons College	93	10
University of Maryland School of Nursing	93	10
Ohio University	92	123
The University of Texas at Arlington	92	125
University of Rhode Island	92	27
Indiana UniversityPurdue University Indianapolis	92	11
Jacksonville State University	92	15
Olivet Nazarene University	92	17
Walden University	92	22
Union University	92	13
Mount Carmel College of Nursing	92	24
Loma Linda University	92	10
UT Health San Antonio	92	14
Southern New Hampshire University	91	25
New York University	91	17
Clemson University	91	21
Northern Illinois University	91	26
Weber State University	91	18
Indiana State University	91	14
South Dakota State University	91	16
Nova Southeastern University	91	33
Madonna University	91	14
Dominican University of California	91	13
Lourdes University	91	11
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee	90	11
Western Kentucky University	90	10
University of Alabama at Birmingham	90	16
East Tennessee State University	90	20
University of Missouri-Kansas City	90	11
Case Western Reserve University	90	10
Davenport University	90	12
York College of Pennsylvania	90	13
South University	90	42
Cedarville University	90	15
Regis University	90	15
Chamberlain College of Nursing	90	116
Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center	90	44
Nevada State College	90	11
University of Phoenix	89	59
University of Washington	89	13
University of Utah	89	11
University of Tennessee, Knoxville	89	16
University of North Carolina at Greensboro	89	14
Winston-Salem State University	89	17
St. Petersburg College	89	13
Barry University	89	17
Herzing University	89	15
Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center	89	17
Florida International University	88	22
Georgia Southern University	88	19
Montana State University-Bozeman	88	11
Southwestern Oklahoma State University	88	10
University of Nebraska Medical Center	88	13
George Mason University	87	18
University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire	87	13
Kaplan University	87	17
Immaculata University	87	15
Alverno College	87	13
Duquesne University	86	13
McNeese State University	86	17
University of Mississippi Medical Center	86	16
University of North Florida	84	14
Western Carolina University	84	10
University of West Georgia	83	13
Chamberlain College of Nursing-Addison Campus	83	14
Maryville University of Saint Louis	82	11
American Sentinel University	81	11
Thomas Jefferson University	80	12
Malone University	76	10
Georgia State University	74	14