Many colleges, universities and teaching hospitals offer four-year bachelor's degrees in nursing, but vocational schools are a popular option for many students. Certificate programs and associate degrees require two years or less to complete, which saves a significant amount of tuition. Vocational schools are often smaller or closer to home, which also makes them an easier educational option for many. Most employers offer some form of payroll subsidy for staffers wishing to upgrade their academic credentials, so it is common for nurses to start with an associate degree and later upgrade to a baccalaureate and graduate education.
Many nurses begin their career at community colleges. In North Carolina the Community College Act of 1957 was a watershed moment, laying the basis for today's comprehensive system of 58 community colleges throughout the state. Several of them offer vocational nursing programs, including the College of the Albemarle, which was the first school chartered under the 1957 act. Others include the Catawba Valley Community College, Cape Fear Community College and Gaston College.
Vocational training for nurses is also available at many health-care institutions, either as purely practical training or through an integrated or affiliated school. The Carolinas College of Health Sciences in Charlotte is part of the Carolinas Medical Center and is operated by the Carolinas Healthcare System. Cabarrus College of Health Sciences is located in Concord, and affiliated with the Cabarrus Memorial Hospital.
A third option for nursing education is provided by a variety of privately operated schools. In North Carolina many of these are four-year institutions such as Duke University, but others offer two-year vocational degrees. Examples include Queens University of Charlotte, Gardner-Webb University in Boiling Springs and South College in Asheville.