Healthcare Jobs in Raleigh, NC
Raleigh is one of the few cities where three major health systems, WakeMed, UNC Health Rex and Duke Health, compete for the same nurses, aides and technicians inside one county. Here are the current healthcare openings, followed by who is hiring, what it pays, and where to train.
Current healthcare Openings in Raleigh, NC
Listings marked External are sponsored openings provided by the Jobs2Careers network.
Healthcare Work in Raleigh
Healthcare hiring in Raleigh runs through three hospital corridors. WakeMed's Raleigh Campus on New Bern Avenue is the region's Level I trauma center and the anchor of a system with nearly 12,500 employees and providers, plus North Hospital, Cary Hospital and healthplexes in Brier Creek, Garner, Apex and Wendell. UNC REX Hospital sits on Lake Boone Trail in west Raleigh with sites from Holly Springs to Wakefield, and Duke Raleigh Hospital anchors Wake Forest Road just inside the Beltline near North Hills.
That competition is what makes the market different from the rest of North Carolina. Healthcare practitioners in the Raleigh metro averaged $50.59 an hour in the latest federal survey, above the national average, and the state itself is a major clinical employer: the NC Department of Adult Correction staffs nurses and aides at Central Prison on Western Boulevard and the NC Correctional Institution for Women.
Top Raleigh Employers Hiring Healthcare Workers
These Raleigh employers are hiring for clinical and patient-care roles right now:
- WakeMed Health & Hospitals - the largest Raleigh-based system hires RNs, LPNs and support staff across its Raleigh Campus, North Hospital and medical offices.
- UNC Health Rex - the Lake Boone Trail hospital and its surgical and outpatient sites hire nurses, behavioral health technicians and medical assistants.
- Duke Raleigh Hospital - Duke Health's Wake Forest Road campus and its Raleigh cancer and specialty clinics post hundreds of nursing and care roles.
- NC Department of Adult Correction - the state prison system hires RNs, LPNs, medical assistants and nursing assistants at Central Prison and NCCIW in Raleigh.
Healthcare Salaries in Raleigh
- Entry level: about $17 to $21 an hour for nursing assistants, patient care and other support roles.
- Licensed and technical: roughly $25 to $35 an hour for licensed practical nurses and many technologist roles.
- Registered nurse and senior: about $40 to $53 an hour for experienced RNs, with specialty and charge roles at the top.
These are estimates based on federal wage surveys for the Raleigh-Cary metro and vary by license, unit, shift and employer. Night, weekend and critical-care shifts pay more, and short-term internal contracts at the big systems can pay well above staff rates.
How to Start a Healthcare Career in Raleigh
Most entry routes in Raleigh run through Wake Tech's Perry Health Sciences Campus on Holston Lane in east Raleigh, which offers Nurse Aide I and II, Practical Nursing, Associate Degree Nursing, Medical Assisting, Phlebotomy, Pharmacy Technician, Radiography and Respiratory Therapy. Nurses are licensed by the North Carolina Board of Nursing after passing the NCLEX, and North Carolina is a Nurse Licensure Compact state, so a multistate license from another compact state can carry over. Support roles such as patient care and medical assisting are often trained on the job or through short certificates.
What the Job Involves
Healthcare work covers everything from direct bedside care to the clinic front desk. Depending on the role, the day can mean taking vital signs, giving medications, drawing blood, running imaging, documenting care in the electronic record, helping patients move safely, and keeping rooms and equipment ready. Hospital roles run in 8 or 12 hour shifts around the clock, while clinic roles usually keep weekday hours.
Skills Employers Look For
- A current license or certification for the role, such as RN, LPN or Nurse Aide I
- BLS (CPR) certification from the American Heart Association
- Electronic health record experience
- Clear communication with patients and families
- Reliability across nights, weekends and holidays
- Attention to detail with medications and charting
Career Path and Advancement
A common Raleigh ladder starts as a nursing assistant or patient care tech at WakeMed, Rex or Duke Raleigh while studying at Wake Tech, moves to LPN, then to RN through Wake Tech's LPN-to-ADN advanced placement track. From there nurses move into specialty units, charge nurse and educator roles, or advanced practice. Because three systems hire in the same county, changing employers is one of the quickest ways to move up in pay.
Related Careers in Raleigh
If healthcare work interests you, start with this Raleigh guide:
Frequently Asked Questions
Who are the biggest healthcare employers in Raleigh?
WakeMed, UNC Health Rex and Duke Raleigh Hospital are the three hospital systems in the city, and together they employ tens of thousands of people across Wake County. The NC Department of Adult Correction is also a large employer of nurses and aides at its Raleigh prisons.
Do I need a license to work in healthcare in Raleigh?
It depends on the role. RNs and LPNs must be licensed by the North Carolina Board of Nursing, and nursing assistants must complete an approved Nurse Aide I program and be listed on the state registry. Many support and clinic roles require only a certificate or on-the-job training.
How much do healthcare workers make in Raleigh?
Support roles generally start around $17 to $21 an hour, licensed practical nurses earn roughly $25 to $35, and registered nurses earn about $40 to $53 an hour. Pay varies by shift, unit and employer.
Where can I train for a healthcare job in Raleigh?
Wake Tech's Perry Health Sciences Campus in east Raleigh offers most entry-level healthcare programs, from Nurse Aide I and Phlebotomy to Practical Nursing and Associate Degree Nursing. Some programs, including nursing, use competitive admission, so apply early.
Can I work in Raleigh with a nursing license from another state?
North Carolina belongs to the Nurse Licensure Compact, so nurses with a multistate license from another compact state can generally practice here. Nurses from non-compact states apply to the North Carolina Board of Nursing for a license by endorsement.
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