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NC · OBSERVED FEDERAL OUTCOMES

Highest-earning colleges in North Carolina

Colleges ranked by reported median earnings five years after completion. Price and modeled ROI do not affect the order.

48eligible collegesYear 5earnings period
LOWERMEDIAN EARNINGS · YEAR 5 AFTER COMPLETIONHIGHER
1
Duke UniversityDurham, NC · Private nonprofit
$104,271Observed median earnings
2
Wake Forest UniversityWinston-Salem, NC · Private nonprofit
$86,157Observed median earnings
3
University of North Carolina at Chapel HillChapel Hill, NC · Public
$72,161Observed median earnings
4
North Carolina State University at RaleighRaleigh, NC · Public
$71,503Observed median earnings
5
Elon UniversityElon, NC · Private nonprofit
$70,407Observed median earnings
6
Strayer University-North CarolinaGreensboro, NC · Private for-profit
$67,616Observed median earnings
7
Cabarrus College of Health SciencesConcord, NC · Private nonprofit
$60,578Observed median earnings
8
University of North Carolina at CharlotteCharlotte, NC · Public
$60,262Observed median earnings
9
Queens University of CharlotteCharlotte, NC · Private nonprofit
$60,181Observed median earnings
10
High Point UniversityHigh Point, NC · Private nonprofit
$59,043Observed median earnings
11
Pfeiffer UniversityMisenheimer, NC · Private nonprofit
$57,277Observed median earnings
12
East Carolina UniversityGreenville, NC · Public
$56,743Observed median earnings
13
Winston-Salem State UniversityWinston-Salem, NC · Public
$55,548Observed median earnings
14
Campbell UniversityBuies Creek, NC · Private nonprofit
$55,342Observed median earnings
15
University of North Carolina WilmingtonWilmington, NC · Public
$54,234Observed median earnings
16
Wingate UniversityWingate, NC · Private nonprofit
$53,638Observed median earnings
17
Montreat CollegeMontreat, NC · Private nonprofit
$52,715Observed median earnings
18
Gardner-Webb UniversityBoiling Springs, NC · Private nonprofit
$52,632Observed median earnings
19
Lees-McRae CollegeBanner Elk, NC · Private nonprofit
$52,201Observed median earnings
20
Appalachian State UniversityBoone, NC · Public
$51,728Observed median earnings
21
University of Mount OliveMount Olive, NC · Private nonprofit
$51,388Observed median earnings
22
Western Carolina UniversityCullowhee, NC · Public
$51,153Observed median earnings
23
Lenoir-Rhyne UniversityHickory, NC · Private nonprofit
$50,297Observed median earnings
24
North Carolina A&T State UniversityGreensboro, NC · Public
$49,710Observed median earnings
25
Methodist UniversityFayetteville, NC · Private nonprofit
$49,513Observed median earnings
26
William Peace UniversityRaleigh, NC · Private nonprofit
$49,415Observed median earnings
27
Meredith CollegeRaleigh, NC · Private nonprofit
$49,359Observed median earnings
28
University of North Carolina at GreensboroGreensboro, NC · Public
$48,436Observed median earnings
29
Guilford CollegeGreensboro, NC · Private nonprofit
$48,340Observed median earnings
30
North Carolina Wesleyan UniversityRocky Mount, NC · Private nonprofit
$48,140Observed median earnings
31
Barton CollegeWilson, NC · Private nonprofit
$47,821Observed median earnings
32
Fayetteville State UniversityFayetteville, NC · Public
$47,162Observed median earnings
33
Belmont Abbey CollegeBelmont, NC · Private nonprofit
$46,996Observed median earnings
34
University of North Carolina at PembrokePembroke, NC · Public
$46,705Observed median earnings
35
North Carolina Central UniversityDurham, NC · Public
$46,355Observed median earnings
36
Greensboro CollegeGreensboro, NC · Private nonprofit
$46,189Observed median earnings
37
Catawba CollegeSalisbury, NC · Private nonprofit
$46,080Observed median earnings
38
Johnson & Wales University-CharlotteCharlotte, NC · Private nonprofit
$44,296Observed median earnings
39
Mars Hill UniversityMars Hill, NC · Private nonprofit
$44,276Observed median earnings
40
Chowan UniversityMurfreesboro, NC · Private nonprofit
$43,832Observed median earnings
41
Johnson C Smith UniversityCharlotte, NC · Private nonprofit
$43,653Observed median earnings
42
University of North Carolina AshevilleAsheville, NC · Public
$42,931Observed median earnings
43
Elizabeth City State UniversityElizabeth City, NC · Public
$42,559Observed median earnings
44
Shaw UniversityRaleigh, NC · Private nonprofit
$42,247Observed median earnings
45
Brevard CollegeBrevard, NC · Private nonprofit
$40,683Observed median earnings
46
Warren Wilson CollegeSwannanoa, NC · Private nonprofit
$38,759Observed median earnings
47
Livingstone CollegeSalisbury, NC · Private nonprofit
$36,216Observed median earnings
48
University of North Carolina School of the ArtsWinston Salem, NC · Public
$35,213Observed median earnings

The ranking includes currently operating colleges in North Carolina with reported bachelor’s-level programs, at least 500 students and available year-5 earnings. It does not adjust for program mix, geography, student background or cost.

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Highest-earning colleges by state

Every state page uses the same year-5 federal earnings measure and national eligibility screen.

ALAlabamaAKAlaskaAZArizonaARArkansasCACaliforniaCOColoradoCTConnecticutDEDelawareDCDistrict of ColumbiaFLFloridaGAGeorgiaHIHawaiiIDIdahoILIllinoisINIndianaIAIowaKSKansasKYKentuckyLALouisianaMEMaineMDMarylandMAMassachusettsMIMichiganMNMinnesotaMSMississippiMOMissouriMTMontanaNENebraskaNVNevadaNHNew HampshireNJNew JerseyNMNew MexicoNYNew YorkNCNorth CarolinaNDNorth DakotaOHOhioOKOklahomaOROregonPAPennsylvaniaRIRhode IslandSCSouth CarolinaSDSouth DakotaTNTennesseeTXTexasUTUtahVTVermontVAVirginiaWAWashingtonWVWest VirginiaWIWisconsinWYWyoming