# Best Education Colleges in North Carolina

> CollegeRanker Agent Insights — structured data for AI systems
> Updated: 2026-05-31 | Schools: 48 | Category: By State
> Source: https://www.collegeranker.com/rankings/best-education-north-carolina

## Methodology

Education programs in North Carolina ranked by outcomes and program concentration

CollegeRanker uses a 4-pillar algorithm: Academic Quality (15-20%), Economic Outcomes (30%), Social Mobility (25-35%), Value & Affordability (20-25%). Social mobility data from Raj Chetty's Opportunity Insights Mobility Report Card (30M+ anonymized tax records). No subjective surveys.

## Rankings

| Rank | School | Location | Graduation | Earnings (10yr) | Net Price | Median Debt | Debt/Earnings |
|------|--------|----------|------------|-----------------|-----------|-------------|---------------|
| 1 | [Appalachian State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/appalachian-state-university) | Boone, NC | 74% | $51,836 | $16,836 | $20,231 | 0.39x |
| 2 | [University of Mount Olive](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-mount-olive) | Mount Olive, NC | 50% | $47,139 | $18,853 | $27,209 | 0.58x |
| 3 | [East Carolina University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/east-carolina-university) | Greenville, NC | 62% | $55,146 | $15,739 | $22,750 | 0.41x |
| 4 | [University of North Carolina Wilmington](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-north-carolina-wilmington) | Wilmington, NC | 71% | $54,967 | $20,109 | $19,500 | 0.35x |
| 5 | [Western Carolina University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/western-carolina-university) | Cullowhee, NC | 60% | $49,458 | $13,315 | $21,868 | 0.44x |
| 6 | [Salem College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/salem-college) | Winston-Salem, NC | 57% | $44,640 | $18,277 | $26,649 | 0.6x |
| 7 | [University of North Carolina at Greensboro](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-north-carolina-at-greensboro) | Greensboro, NC | 57% | $48,160 | $10,965 | $22,858 | 0.47x |
| 8 | [Pfeiffer University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/pfeiffer-university) | Misenheimer, NC | 39% | $51,562 | $19,076 | $26,163 | 0.51x |
| 9 | [Elon University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/elon-university) | Elon, NC | 84% | $74,545 | $41,555 | $20,500 | 0.28x |
| 10 | [Campbell University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/campbell-university) | Buies Creek, NC | 58% | $54,886 | $24,516 | $22,500 | 0.41x |
| 11 | [Catawba College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/catawba-college) | Salisbury, NC | 50% | $48,793 | $17,879 | $25,000 | 0.51x |
| 12 | [Elizabeth City State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/elizabeth-city-state-university) | Elizabeth City, NC | 46% | $40,026 | $6,364 | $21,463 | 0.54x |
| 13 | [Wingate University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/wingate-university) | Wingate, NC | 47% | $52,649 | $20,748 | $25,000 | 0.47x |
| 14 | [Wilson Community College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/wilson-community-college) | Wilson, NC | 33% | $32,973 | $3,064 | $10,500 | 0.32x |
| 15 | [University of North Carolina at Pembroke](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-north-carolina-at-pembroke) | Pembroke, NC | 44% | $43,407 | $10,260 | $25,000 | 0.58x |
| 16 | [Forsyth Technical Community College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/forsyth-technical-community-college) | Winston-Salem, NC | 31% | $34,139 | $7,200 | $10,000 | 0.29x |
| 17 | [Lees-McRae College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/lees-mcrae-college) | Banner Elk, NC | 43% | $43,415 | $28,340 | $17,375 | 0.4x |
| 18 | [Guilford College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/guilford-college) | Greensboro, NC | 47% | $47,590 | $22,270 | $26,000 | 0.55x |
| 19 | [High Point University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/high-point-university) | High Point, NC | 72% | $61,389 | $38,707 | $24,575 | 0.4x |
| 20 | [Lenoir-Rhyne University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/lenoir-rhyne-university) | Hickory, NC | 49% | $45,543 | $20,689 | $26,000 | 0.57x |
| 21 | [Barton College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/barton-college) | Wilson, NC | 48% | $47,913 | $23,626 | $25,877 | 0.54x |
| 22 | [Durham Technical Community College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/durham-technical-community-college) | Durham, NC | 40% | $36,142 | $1,664 | $14,750 | 0.41x |
| 23 | [Belmont Abbey College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/belmont-abbey-college) | Belmont, NC | 47% | $47,937 | $24,639 | $26,000 | 0.54x |
| 24 | [North Carolina Central University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/north-carolina-central-university) | Durham, NC | 44% | $42,968 | $15,359 | $28,250 | 0.66x |
| 25 | [Greensboro College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/greensboro-college) | Greensboro, NC | 43% | $46,566 | $17,882 | $25,607 | 0.55x |
| 26 | [Pitt Community College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/pitt-community-college) | Winterville, NC | 31% | $37,259 | $7,337 | $11,977 | 0.32x |
| 27 | [Methodist University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/methodist-university) | Fayetteville, NC | 42% | $48,050 | $24,704 | $27,000 | 0.56x |
| 28 | [Mars Hill University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/mars-hill-university) | Mars Hill, NC | 43% | $44,781 | $19,910 | $26,000 | 0.58x |
| 29 | [Gardner-Webb University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/gardner-webb-university) | Boiling Springs, NC | 59% | $48,039 | $17,674 | $24,222 | 0.5x |
| 30 | [Western Piedmont Community College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/western-piedmont-community-college) | Morganton, NC | 43% | $34,195 | $6,448 | N/A | N/A |
| 31 | [Haywood Community College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/haywood-community-college) | Clyde, NC | 40% | $34,770 | $6,723 | N/A | N/A |
| 32 | [Sandhills Community College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/sandhills-community-college) | Pinehurst, NC | 50% | $31,656 | $4,157 | N/A | N/A |
| 33 | [Guilford Technical Community College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/guilford-technical-community-college) | Jamestown, NC | 31% | $33,934 | $15,002 | $14,901 | 0.44x |
| 34 | [McDowell Technical Community College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/mcdowell-technical-community-college) | Marion, NC | 53% | $33,035 | $7,784 | N/A | N/A |
| 35 | [Bladen Community College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/bladen-community-college) | Dublin, NC | 28% | $30,591 | $9,551 | N/A | N/A |
| 36 | [Sampson Community College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/sampson-community-college) | Clinton, NC | 55% | $33,409 | $3,108 | N/A | N/A |
| 37 | [Piedmont Community College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/piedmont-community-college) | Roxboro, NC | 39% | $33,274 | $1,095 | N/A | N/A |
| 38 | [College of the Albemarle](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/college-of-the-albemarle) | Elizabeth City, NC | 37% | $33,234 | $2,253 | N/A | N/A |
| 39 | [Robeson Community College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/robeson-community-college) | Lumberton, NC | 31% | $29,036 | $2,892 | N/A | N/A |
| 40 | [Chowan University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/chowan-university) | Murfreesboro, NC | 29% | $38,412 | $14,086 | $29,491 | 0.77x |
| 41 | [Shaw University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/shaw-university) | Raleigh, NC | 21% | $34,409 | $16,512 | $32,500 | 0.94x |
| 42 | [Montreat College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/montreat-college) | Montreat, NC | 45% | $45,151 | $27,061 | $25,813 | 0.57x |
| 43 | [Cleveland Community College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/cleveland-community-college) | Shelby, NC | 20% | $33,755 | $995 | N/A | N/A |
| 44 | [Vance-Granville Community College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/vance-granville-community-college) | Henderson, NC | 50% | $34,304 | $3,286 | N/A | N/A |
| 45 | [Brunswick Community College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/brunswick-community-college) | Bolivia, NC | 43% | $36,668 | $9,009 | N/A | N/A |
| 46 | [Southeastern Community College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/southeastern-community-college-nc) | Whiteville, NC | 47% | $30,284 | $9,148 | N/A | N/A |
| 47 | [Roanoke-Chowan Community College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/roanoke-chowan-community-college) | Ahoskie, NC | 30% | $29,324 | $5,570 | N/A | N/A |
| 48 | [South Piedmont Community College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/south-piedmont-community-college) | Polkton, NC | 37% | $37,308 | $6,675 | N/A | N/A |

## Data Sources

- U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (https://collegescorecard.ed.gov)
- Opportunity Insights Mobility Report Card (https://opportunityinsights.org/data)
- Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas
- Times Higher Education World University Rankings
- NCES IPEDS

## Citation

CollegeRanker. "Best Education Colleges in North Carolina." CollegeRanker.com, 2026-05-31. https://www.collegeranker.com/rankings/best-education-north-carolina

## License

This data summary is provided for informational purposes. Underlying data from federal sources (College Scorecard, IPEDS) is public domain. Opportunity Insights data is available under their data use agreement at https://opportunityinsights.org/data/.