Best colleges for computer science in North Carolina
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill ranks first in North Carolina for computer science value (#13 nationally, value score 88): graduates earn $137,047 4 years after the bachelor's degree, and the average net price is $11,305 a year.
Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition · Source: College Scorecard field of study, reporting year 2025 · 17 North Carolina colleges ranked · Updated November 4, 2026
Best computer science colleges in North Carolina
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill ranks first in North Carolina for computer science value (#13 nationally, value score 88): graduates earn $137,047 4 years after the bachelor's degree, and the average net price is $11,305 a year. 17 North Carolina colleges qualify. At the median one, computer science graduates earn $88,219 and the average net price is $16,082 a year.
Source: U.S. College Scorecard field of study, 2025
What the data shows
Key findings
- 17 North Carolina colleges qualify. At the median one, computer science graduates earn $88,219 and the average net price is $16,082 a year.
- The highest computer science earnings in the state are at Duke University ($195,809), ranked #2 in the state once cost, debt and graduation rate count.
- The lowest average net price among them is at Fayetteville State University: $8,500 a year.
- Median earnings
- $88,219
- National: $97,375
- Median net price
- $16,082
- National: $16,804
- Median federal debt
- $20,500
- computer science graduates
- Public colleges
- 13 of 17
- in this list
17 colleges
The North Carolina ranking
Ordered by the national value score; the national rank is shown with each college. Earnings are medians 4 years after the bachelor's degree.
- Rank in North Carolina 1
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC · Public · #13 nationally
88.0Value- Earnings
- $137,047
- Net price
- $11,305
- Federal debt
- $11,958
- Graduation rate
- 91%
- Earnings
- $195,809
- Net price
- $23,706
- Federal debt
- $12,000
- Graduation rate
- 96%
- Rank in North Carolina 3
North Carolina State University at Raleigh
Raleigh, NC · Public · #80 nationally
68.6Value- Earnings
- $113,478
- Net price
- $16,486
- Federal debt
- $18,750
- Graduation rate
- 85%
- Rank in North Carolina 4
North Carolina A & T State University
Greensboro, NC · Public · #105 nationally
64.2Value- Earnings
- $105,342
- Net price
- $9,884
- Federal debt
- $19,982
- Graduation rate
- 56%
- Rank in North Carolina 5
Winston-Salem, NC · Private nonprofit · #154 nationally
59.7Value- Earnings
- $115,493
- Net price
- $28,165
- Federal debt
- Not reported
- Graduation rate
- 90%
- Earnings
- $97,670
- Net price
- $16,082
- Federal debt
- $20,500
- Graduation rate
- 71%
- Rank in North Carolina 7
University of North Carolina at Charlotte
Charlotte, NC · Public · #221 nationally
51.1Value- Earnings
- $93,037
- Net price
- $15,142
- Federal debt
- $18,875
- Graduation rate
- 68%
- Earnings
- $98,406
- Net price
- $16,880
- Federal debt
- $23,259
- Graduation rate
- 63%
- Rank in North Carolina 9
University of North Carolina at Greensboro
Greensboro, NC · Public · #276 nationally
43.8Value- Earnings
- $86,372
- Net price
- $12,291
- Federal debt
- $19,500
- Graduation rate
- 58%
- Rank in North Carolina 10
Cullowhee, NC · Public · #278 nationally
43.3Value- Earnings
- $86,853
- Net price
- $13,025
- Federal debt
- $20,518
- Graduation rate
- 61%
- Rank in North Carolina 11
University of North Carolina at Asheville
Asheville, NC · Public · #293 nationally
41.1Value- Earnings
- $88,084
- Net price
- $14,999
- Federal debt
- $18,605
- Graduation rate
- 52%
- Rank in North Carolina 12
University of North Carolina Wilmington
Wilmington, NC · Public · #322 nationally
38.6Value- Earnings
- $88,219
- Net price
- $19,570
- Federal debt
- $20,500
- Graduation rate
- 72%
- Rank in North Carolina 13
University of North Carolina at Pembroke
Pembroke, NC · Public · #358 nationally
33.3Value- Earnings
- $80,579
- Net price
- $10,522
- Federal debt
- $23,256
- Graduation rate
- 44%
- Rank in North Carolina 14
North Carolina Central University
Durham, NC · Public · #400 nationally
29.4Value- Earnings
- $88,053
- Net price
- $16,708
- Federal debt
- $28,500
- Graduation rate
- 47%
- Rank in North Carolina 15
Fayetteville, NC · Public · #433 nationally
23.6Value- Earnings
- $36,164
- Net price
- $8,500
- Federal debt
- $26,250
- Graduation rate
- 37%
- Rank in North Carolina 16
Buies Creek, NC · Private nonprofit · #461 nationally
15.1Value- Earnings
- $71,497
- Net price
- $25,057
- Federal debt
- $26,750
- Graduation rate
- 59%
- Rank in North Carolina 17
North Carolina Wesleyan College
Rocky Mount, NC · Private nonprofit · #464 nationally
11.0Value- Earnings
- $53,598
- Net price
- $20,318
- Federal debt
- $27,000
- Graduation rate
- 45%
Method: the same value score as the national computer science ranking (earnings, debt relative to earnings, average net price and graduation rate, each a national percentile). Data: College Scorecard, reporting year 2025; 2026–27 edition, verified Nov 2026.
Questions about computer science colleges in North Carolina
What are the best colleges for computer science in North Carolina?
By CollegesRef value score, the top 3 North Carolina colleges for computer science are University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (value score 88), Duke University (value score 79.1) and North Carolina State University at Raleigh (value score 68.6). The score weighs graduate earnings, debt relative to earnings, average net price and graduation rate.
Which North Carolina college has the highest earnings for computer science graduates?
Duke University: its computer science graduates have median earnings of $195,809 4 years after the bachelor's degree.
What is the most affordable computer science college in North Carolina on this list?
Fayetteville State University has the lowest average net price of the ranked North Carolina colleges, $8,500 a year after grants. A family's own price depends on income and aid.
How many North Carolina colleges are ranked for computer science?
17 North Carolina colleges have a computer science bachelor's program with enough graduates and reported earnings, plus a published net price and graduation rate. Ranks shown are national; the state rank is their order within North Carolina.