Top Ranked Programs
University of North Carolina Wilmington's program mix is anchored in health, business, and social-science fields — a signature that reflects the university's coastal regional identity and its strong ties to healthcare and public-sector employers in the Wilmington area. Health is the institution's primary concentration, accounting for 18% of graduates, followed by Social Sciences at 6% and Education at 4%. Across 40 programs serving roughly 3,757 students annually, the university's degree output is broadly distributed, with no single field dominating to the exclusion of others. The program combining the largest cohort scale with the strongest earnings is Nursing, which anchors University of North Carolina Wilmington's economic signature among its graduates. Among the most popular programs, Nursing program graduates 739 students and delivers median earnings of $86,606 four years after enrollment, with Azimuth ranking the program #74 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Business Administration and Communication and Media Studies are also among the largest programs by graduate count, with Business Administration earning $75,512 and Communication and Media Studies earning $54,315 at the four-year mark. The highest-earning programs at University of North Carolina Wilmington cluster in health and applied-professional fields. Nursing leads on earnings, with 739 graduates earning median earnings of $86,606 four years after enrollment — Azimuth ranks the program #74 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Business Administration and Biology, General follow closely, with graduates earning $75,512 and $60,750 respectively at the four-year mark, reflecting the strong direct-to-workforce demand in health and applied-science fields. The [supply and demand for college graduates](/analysis/supply-demand-map-college-degrees/) provides context for how these program families align with regional and national labor-market trends.