Best colleges for education in North Carolina
North Carolina A & T State University ranks first in North Carolina for education value (#16 nationally, value score 83.8): graduates earn $60,703 4 years after the bachelor's degree, and the average net price is $9,884 a year.
Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition · Source: College Scorecard field of study, reporting year 2025 · 16 North Carolina colleges ranked · Updated November 4, 2026
Best education colleges in North Carolina
North Carolina A & T State University ranks first in North Carolina for education value (#16 nationally, value score 83.8): graduates earn $60,703 4 years after the bachelor's degree, and the average net price is $9,884 a year. 16 North Carolina colleges qualify. At the median one, education graduates earn $48,929 and the average net price is $16,284 a year.
Source: U.S. College Scorecard field of study, 2025
What the data shows
Key findings
- 16 North Carolina colleges qualify. At the median one, education graduates earn $48,929 and the average net price is $16,284 a year.
- The highest education earnings in the state are at Elon University ($63,041), ranked #3 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
- $48,929
- National: $48,822
- Median net price
- $16,284
- National: $17,201
- Median federal debt
- $19,920
- education graduates
- Public colleges
- 12 of 16
- in this list
16 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
North Carolina A & T State University
Greensboro, NC · Public · #16 nationally
83.8Value- Earnings
- $60,703
- Net price
- $9,884
- Federal debt
- Not reported
- Graduation rate
- 56%
- Rank in North Carolina 2
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC · Public · #39 nationally
76.8Value- Earnings
- $49,209
- Net price
- $11,305
- Federal debt
- $9,694
- Graduation rate
- 91%
- Earnings
- $63,041
- Net price
- $35,785
- Federal debt
- $22,934
- Graduation rate
- 81%
- Rank in North Carolina 4
University of North Carolina at Greensboro
Greensboro, NC · Public · #107 nationally
66.6Value- Earnings
- $51,778
- Net price
- $12,291
- Federal debt
- $22,250
- Graduation rate
- 58%
- Rank in North Carolina 5
North Carolina State University at Raleigh
Raleigh, NC · Public · #119 nationally
65.4Value- Earnings
- $48,824
- Net price
- $16,486
- Federal debt
- $15,989
- Graduation rate
- 85%
- Rank in North Carolina 6
University of North Carolina at Pembroke
Pembroke, NC · Public · #157 nationally
60.6Value- Earnings
- $49,034
- Net price
- $10,522
- Federal debt
- $18,500
- Graduation rate
- 44%
- Rank in North Carolina 7
North Carolina Central University
Durham, NC · Public · #164 nationally
59.8Value- Earnings
- $53,794
- Net price
- $16,708
- Federal debt
- Not reported
- Graduation rate
- 47%
- Rank in North Carolina 8
University of North Carolina at Charlotte
Charlotte, NC · Public · #165 nationally
59.8Value- Earnings
- $48,399
- Net price
- $15,142
- Federal debt
- $19,000
- Graduation rate
- 68%
- Rank in North Carolina 9
Cullowhee, NC · Public · #182 nationally
56.9Value- Earnings
- $47,105
- Net price
- $13,025
- Federal debt
- $19,339
- Graduation rate
- 61%
- Rank in North Carolina 10
University of North Carolina Wilmington
Wilmington, NC · Public · #184 nationally
56.7Value- Earnings
- $48,024
- Net price
- $19,570
- Federal debt
- $15,736
- Graduation rate
- 72%
- Rank in North Carolina 11
Fayetteville, NC · Public · #186 nationally
56.6Value- Earnings
- $50,732
- Net price
- $8,500
- Federal debt
- $25,276
- Graduation rate
- 37%
- Earnings
- $46,057
- Net price
- $16,082
- Federal debt
- $18,609
- Graduation rate
- 71%
- Earnings
- $47,970
- Net price
- $16,880
- Federal debt
- $20,500
- Graduation rate
- 63%
- Rank in North Carolina 14
High Point, NC · Private nonprofit · #278 nationally
47.6Value- Earnings
- $51,469
- Net price
- $41,019
- Federal debt
- $24,250
- Graduation rate
- 72%
- Rank in North Carolina 15
Mount Olive, NC · Private nonprofit · #415 nationally
33.1Value- Earnings
- $47,411
- Net price
- $18,927
- Federal debt
- $25,250
- Graduation rate
- 42%
- Rank in North Carolina 16
Boiling Springs, NC · Private nonprofit · #490 nationally
22.6Value- Earnings
- $45,110
- Net price
- $21,150
- Federal debt
- $27,643
- Graduation rate
- 48%
Method: the same value score as the national education 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 education colleges in North Carolina
What are the best colleges for education in North Carolina?
By CollegesRef value score, the top 3 North Carolina colleges for education are North Carolina A & T State University (value score 83.8), University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (value score 76.8) and Elon University (value score 69). The score weighs graduate earnings, debt relative to earnings, average net price and graduation rate.
Which North Carolina college has the highest earnings for education graduates?
Elon University: its education graduates have median earnings of $63,041 4 years after the bachelor's degree.
What is the most affordable education 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 education?
16 North Carolina colleges have a education 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.