10-YEAR PAYOFF CURVECumulative economic payoff after graduation
−$89,120at year 10Net gainInvestment not yet recovered
NET GAIN$0UNRECOVERED
Public · COLLEGE PAYOFF
University of North Carolina at Charlotte
Charlotte, NC · 88 field-and-degree records
Earnings reported for 87 · Federal debt reported for 56
Based onObserved earnings + college priceEstimate10-year payoff
Estimated 10-year payoff
Negative payoff
−$89,120 over 10 years
Modeled from observed year-5 institution earnings and the institution-wide average net price over four years.
15.8 yrsTime to earn back the modeled cost
−37%Estimated return after 10 years
$60,262Observed earnings · year 5
Not reachedHighest annual price before payoff reaches $0
Start with your question
What do you want to understand?
ECONOMIC INVESTMENT → PAYBACK
Estimated payoff over ten years.
The scenario counts direct price and earnings forgone upfront, then applies the reported annual earnings premium.
FEDERAL COST DATA
Four ways to read college price.
Annual college-wide figures from the current College Scorecard release. Average net price covers full-time, first-time undergraduates receiving federal aid; public-college figures use in-state students. Program tuition and individual aid offers may differ.
PUBLISHED STUDENT BUDGET · 2024–25
What makes up the annual price?
Sticker-price components reported to IPEDS. Grants and scholarships are not subtracted here.
Living off campus: $14,458 housing and food allowance plus $3,040 in other expenses.
Do not confuse this with net price. Net price subtracts average grants and scholarships. DegreeVerdict continues to use the separately labeled average net price in its standard college ROI scenario.
PRICE SENSITIVITY
The price can change the verdict.
Hold observed earnings constant and see how the modeled ten-year payoff changes as annual price rises.
← Negative payoff$0Positive payoff →
$0Annual price−$27,380
$8,000Annual price−$59,380
$15,000Current college-wide context−$87,380
$16,000Current college-wide context−$91,380
$24,000Annual price−$123,380
$32,000Annual price−$155,380
$40,000Annual price−$187,380
HOW STUDENTS ATTEND · 2023-24
Online study is a meaningful part of the student experience.
IPEDS enrollment counts show course delivery across the whole institution. They do not indicate whether a specific degree can be completed online.
Institution-level attendance context from IPEDS. Program delivery is reported separately on degree pages and in the program directory. These figures do not enter ROI.
College identity and local contextAccreditation, institution type, dual enrollment and state prices
COLLEGE AT A GLANCE
Institution details
Current federal characteristics describing the college, not the outcomes of a specific program.
- Accreditor
- Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
- Main award level
- Bachelor’s degrees
- Campus setting
- City
- Admissions
- Selective admission
- Delivery
- Campus or mixed delivery
- Federal designation
- No special designation reported
DUAL-ENROLLMENT CONTEXT · 2024
340 high-school students took college courses.
IPEDS counts students enrolled in college credit while still in high school. A large dual-enrollment population can shape headline enrollment figures, especially at community colleges.
This is participation, not a college completion rate. It does not indicate how many students later enrolled after high school, earned a credential or entered the workforce.
STATE PRICE CONTEXT · 2024
Prices in North Carolina run 6% below the U.S. level.
BEA Regional Price Parities compare price levels across states. A value of 100 equals the national average.
What it costs and what graduates earn
$15,435Average net price / year
$23,010Cost of attendance
$21,500Median federal student debt · completer borrowers
$228/moPublished 10-year payment estimate
$60,262Median earnings · year 5 after completion
69.0%Completion rate
79.6%Admission rate
1,231Average SAT score
24ACT midpoint
24,453Student size
Debt covers federal student-loan borrowers who completed. It does not include Parent PLUS or private loans. We show admissions scores only when a valid federal value is available.
What the numbers say about University of North Carolina at Charlotte
What does University of North Carolina at Charlotte cost?
University of North Carolina at Charlotte reports an average annual net price of $15,435 after grants and scholarships. This is an institution-wide average, not an individual aid offer.
What do University of North Carolina at Charlotte graduates earn?
The observed median earnings figure is $60,262 5 years after completion. It describes a federal cohort, not a guaranteed starting salary.
How much federal debt do University of North Carolina at Charlotte graduates have?
Completer borrowers report median cumulative federal student debt of $21,500. Parent PLUS and private loans are not included.
Is every degree at University of North Carolina at Charlotte worth the same?
No. The current release contains 88 field-and-degree records for University of North Carolina at Charlotte; 87 report year-4 earnings and 56 report federal debt. Outcomes can differ substantially by field and degree level.
DEBT AFTER COLLEGE
Are borrowers making progress?
Repayment progress, default and debt at exit describe different federal borrower cohorts. They are shown separately and do not change the ROI estimate.
Source: College Scorecard. Repayment progress is the share of borrowers who reduced principal by at least $1 at the stated measurement point. Debt covers federal student loans; Parent PLUS and private loans are excluded. Cohorts and reporting periods differ across measures.
Who studied here during the year
35,179Students enrolled at any point
27,603Undergraduate students
7,576Graduate students
Unduplicated students enrolled at any point from July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2025. This full-year measure is different from a fall headcount and does not enter ROI.
More student and earnings detailPrice by family income, retention, equity and common industries
WHO PAYS, WHO FINISHES, WHO EARNS
Outcomes are not the same for every family.
These federal cohorts add context that a single college average can hide. Missing figures remain unreported rather than estimated.
Complete within 150% of the expected time
66% received a Pell Grant within eight yearsMedian Parent PLUS debt
1,998 parent borrowers in the reported cohortMedian federal student debt
56% making progress in repayment after three yearsStudent family incomeMedian earnings after 10 yearsObserved federal cohorts
Lower income$54,280Earnings are not a guarantee
Middle income$57,441Earnings are not a guarantee
Higher income$60,666Earnings are not a guarantee
Three-year repayment progress
Lower income51%
Middle income60%
Higher income69%
Undergraduate student composition
White46%
Black18%
Hispanic16%
Asian11%
Source: College Scorecard, June 2026 release. Parent PLUS debt belongs to parents; student-debt measures exclude Parent PLUS and private loans. Cohort definitions differ by measure.
INDEPENDENT CENSUS EARNINGS VIEW
How earnings develop by field
Privacy-protected Census employment records follow graduate cohorts one, five and ten years after completion. This source is kept separate from College Scorecard because its population and methodology differ.
Field and credentialYear 1Year 5Year 10
Accounting and Computer Science.Master’s degree · Broad federal field 30
$65,986Year 1
$78,709Year 5
$182,659Year 10
Computer Programming.Master’s degree · Broad federal field 11
$92,880Year 1
$132,182Year 5
$151,664Year 10
Accounting and Related Services.Master’s degree · Broad federal field 52
$83,383Year 1
$112,246Year 5
$143,131Year 10
Computer Programming.Doctoral, research/scholarship · Broad federal field 11
$117,100Year 1
$149,265Year 5
$138,529Year 10
Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering.Master’s degree · Broad federal field 14
$80,268Year 1
$106,883Year 5
$133,355Year 10
Advanced/Graduate Dentistry and Oral Sciences.Master’s degree · Broad federal field 51
$84,548Year 1
$100,246Year 5
$130,262Year 10
Architectural Engineering Technologies/Technicians.Master’s degree · Broad federal field 15
$76,770Year 1
$111,205Year 5
$126,300Year 10
Clinical Psychology.Master’s degree · Broad federal field 42
$69,154Year 1
$90,933Year 5
$122,926Year 10
Median annual earnings in 2023 dollars. Each time point may use a different pooled graduation cohort. Coverage is limited to institutions participating in the Census Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes program.
NATIONAL CONTEXT
How this college compares
Percentiles compare this institution with currently operating colleges that report the same federal measure.
WHAT STANDS OUT
A faster read on this college
These summaries use every reportable field-and-credential record at this institution. They do not fill privacy-suppressed outcomes.
EARNINGS OVER TIME
What graduates earned in later years
$44,953Year 1
$65,370Year 4
$60,262Year 5
Each year can represent a different federal cohort, so the points do not track the same people over time.
Your choice of degree can change the payoff.
Graduate earnings differ by field and credential, even within the same college.
1Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management · Master's Degree$158,8142Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods · Master's Degree$151,2623Engineering-Related Fields · Master's Degree$128,5104Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing · Master's Degree$125,2815Business Administration, Management and Operations · Master's Degree$122,9976Business/Managerial Economics · Master's Degree$112,5777Computer and Information Sciences, General · Master's Degree$108,2858Computer Science · Master's Degree$107,088Observed year-4 earnings · compare the same field and credential across colleges
Programs that stand out against the same-degree benchmark
This view rewards performance relative to the same field and credential, not simply majors that pay more everywhere.
1Computer/Information Technology Administration and ManagementMaster's Degree · $158,814 reported+30%vs same-degree national medianNot availablefederal debt2Religion/Religious StudiesBachelor's Degree · $52,012 reported+26%vs same-degree national median$24,621federal debt3Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment ProfessionsBachelor's Degree · $86,238 reported+22%vs same-degree national median$21,537federal debt4DanceBachelor's Degree · $48,518 reported+21%vs same-degree national median$26,625federal debt5Management Sciences and Quantitative MethodsMaster's Degree · $151,262 reported+21%vs same-degree national medianNot availablefederal debt6Business Administration, Management and OperationsMaster's Degree · $122,997 reported+19%vs same-degree national medianNot availablefederal debt
Comparable colleges in NC
Currently operating public institutions with the closest combination of annual net price and observed year-5 earnings. Similarity is descriptive, not a quality ranking.
Greenville, NC
East Carolina University
- Annual net price
- $15,739
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $56,743
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- -52%
Winston-Salem State University
- Annual net price
- $13,479
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $55,548
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- -55%
Appalachian State University
- Annual net price
- $16,836
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $51,728
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- -73%
University of North Carolina Wilmington
- Annual net price
- $20,109
- Observed earnings · year 5
- $54,234
- Modeled 10-year ROI
- -65%
Compare fields and degree levels
Showing the 40 highest-earning records from 88 field-and-degree records. Use the program directory to search the complete set.
| Major or field | Degree level | Earnings, year 4 | Federal debt | 2024–25 graduates |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management | Master's Degree | $158,814 | Not available | Not reported |
| Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods | Master's Degree | $151,262 | Not available | Not reported |
| Engineering-Related Fields | Master's Degree | $128,510 | Not available | Not reported |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | Master's Degree | $125,281 | Not available | 1 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | Master's Degree | $122,997 | Not available | 0 |
| Business/Managerial Economics | Master's Degree | $112,577 | Not available | Not reported |
| Computer and Information Sciences, General | Master's Degree | $108,285 | Not available | Not reported |
| Computer Science | Master's Degree | $107,088 | Not available | Not reported |
| Accounting and Related Services | Master's Degree | $101,786 | Not available | Not reported |
| Medical Illustration and Informatics | Master's Degree | $99,753 | Not available | Not reported |
| Computer Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $97,109 | $21,875 | Not reported |
| Management Information Systems and Services | Bachelor's Degree | $95,640 | Not available | Not reported |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $93,953 | $24,375 | Not reported |
| Computer Science | Bachelor's Degree | $93,037 | $23,250 | 7 |
| Construction Engineering Technology/Technician | Bachelor's Degree | $92,567 | $27,000 | Not reported |
| Educational Administration and Supervision | Doctoral Degree | $90,526 | Not available | 24 |
| Physics | Bachelor's Degree | $89,944 | $28,750 | Not reported |
| Civil Engineering | Master's Degree | $88,619 | Not available | Not reported |
| Mechanical Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $88,265 | $27,000 | 2 |
| Educational/Instructional Media Design | Graduate/Professional Certificate | $88,054 | Not available | Not reported |
| Mathematics and Statistics, Other | Bachelor's Degree | $87,419 | $23,250 | Not reported |
| Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions | Bachelor's Degree | $86,238 | $21,537 | 0 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | Bachelor's Degree | $84,723 | $25,044 | 9 |
| Systems Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $84,648 | $26,000 | Not reported |
| Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians | Bachelor's Degree | $83,768 | $25,499 | Not reported |
| Civil Engineering | Bachelor's Degree | $83,289 | $23,500 | Not reported |
| Computer and Information Sciences, General | Bachelor's Degree | $83,018 | $22,153 | 11 |
| Curriculum and Instruction | Doctoral Degree | $79,364 | Not available | 13 |
| Educational Administration and Supervision | Graduate/Professional Certificate | $78,447 | Not available | Not reported |
| Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians | Bachelor's Degree | $78,160 | $27,000 | Not reported |
| Accounting and Related Services | Bachelor's Degree | $76,690 | $22,500 | Not reported |
| Civil Engineering Technologies/Technicians | Bachelor's Degree | $75,611 | $23,183 | Not reported |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | Bachelor's Degree | $74,965 | $22,400 | Not reported |
| Public Administration | Master's Degree | $72,410 | Not available | Not reported |
| Health and Medical Administrative Services | Master's Degree | $71,805 | Not available | Not reported |
| Public Health | Master's Degree | $71,510 | Not available | Not reported |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | Bachelor's Degree | $70,654 | $22,285 | 4 |
| Architecture | Master's Degree | $70,585 | Not available | Not reported |
| Educational Administration and Supervision | Master's Degree | $70,227 | Not available | 24 |
| International Business | Bachelor's Degree | $69,467 | $21,200 | Not reported |
Graduate counts come from IPEDS and group related majors into the same federal field. Missing earnings or debt values remain labeled as unavailable.
Search every University of North Carolina at Charlotte program record →Earnings, price, completion and enrollment are observed federal measures. ROI, payoff and break-even are modeled scenarios built from those measures and fixed assumptions. College payoff is not the payoff of every degree at this school; use the program table for a more precise comparison.