Colleges in North Carolina
This page aggregates every Title IV–eligible college and university with a primary campus in North Carolina, drawing from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard, IPEDS institutional reports, and de-identified IRS earnings linkage for federal-aid recipients. Coverage includes public flagships, regional comprehensives, community and technical colleges, private nonprofit institutions, and for-profit schools.
The state-aggregate statistics below include all reporting institutions in North Carolina as a single denominator — community colleges, public universities, private nonprofits, and for-profit institutions are pooled. State averages are therefore useful for high-level framing (in-state tuition is X, average admission rate is Y, average earnings are Z) but should not be read as representative of any specific sector or institution. Drill into individual school profiles for the full picture: admissions, costs (sticker and net), federal-aid usage, completion, retention, demographics, and earnings outcomes 6 and 10 years after enrollment.
The most-recent Scorecard release is from September 2024. Tuition figures reflect institutional reports for the 2022–23 academic year and may differ from current-year prices. Earnings data has an inherent lag — the 10-year earnings horizon reflects students who enrolled approximately a decade prior to the data publication, as the IRS-matching process requires time to accumulate post-enrollment income.
Largest Colleges in North Carolina by Enrollment
Highest Earnings 10-Year Median — North Carolina
What the IPEDS Data Shows for Colleges in North Carolina
North Carolina has 166 Title IV-participating postsecondary institutions in the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), the federal directory that captures every college eligible to award federal student aid. The ownership mix is 76 public institutions, 0 private nonprofits, and 0 private for-profit schools — a structural split that drives most of the tuition variation visible in the table below. Public institutions typically report substantially lower in-state tuition because state appropriations subsidize the published price, while private nonprofits often show higher sticker prices that are partially offset by institutional aid.
Cost and selectivity signals vary widely even within a single state. The average in-state tuition across North Carolina institutions is $14,116, and the average admission rate (weighted by institutions that report one) sits at 67.5%. Admission rates from IPEDS exclude open-enrollment institutions, which is why community colleges and many for-profits show as unreported rather than at 100 percent. Looking at the table, the acceptance-rate column is blank for schools that don’t screen applicants, a meaningful distinction when evaluating selectivity alongside earnings.
Post-graduation outcomes tie cost to return. Graduates of North Carolina colleges earn a mean of $39,627 ten years after enrollment, based on U.S. Treasury tax records linked to federal aid applicants through the College Scorecard data file. Because earnings depend heavily on field of study and local labor markets, state-level averages should be read alongside each school’s program mix. The table sorts every institution with reported IPEDS enrollment so prospective students can compare acceptance rates, enrollment scale, and median earnings side by side rather than relying on third-party rankings.
All Schools in North Carolina
| School Name | City | Type | Enrollment | Acceptance Rate | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Carolina State University at Raleigh | Raleigh | Public | 27,371 | 41.7% | $68,758 |
| University of North Carolina at Charlotte | Charlotte | Public | 24,453 | 79.6% | $57,289 |
| University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | Chapel Hill | Public | 20,752 | 15.3% | $72,200 |
| East Carolina University | Greenville | Public | 19,896 | 89.2% | $55,146 |
| Wake Technical Community College | Raleigh | Public | 19,675 | — | $41,769 |
| Appalachian State University | Boone | Public | 19,444 | 90.1% | $51,836 |
| Central Piedmont Community College | Charlotte | Public | 15,067 | — | $37,865 |
| University of North Carolina Wilmington | Wilmington | Public | 14,922 | 64.2% | $54,967 |
| University of North Carolina at Greensboro | Greensboro | Public | 14,062 | 88.5% | $48,160 |
| North Carolina A & T State University | Greensboro | Public | 12,182 | 49.9% | $44,440 |
| Western Carolina University | Cullowhee | Public | 10,024 | 81.8% | $49,458 |
| Cape Fear Community College | Wilmington | Public | 9,764 | — | $38,654 |
| Fayetteville Technical Community College | Fayetteville | Public | 9,471 | — | $31,861 |
| Guilford Technical Community College | Jamestown | Public | 9,260 | — | $33,934 |
| Forsyth Technical Community College | Winston-Salem | Public | 7,113 | — | $34,139 |
| Elon University | Elon | Private Nonprofit | 6,452 | 66.3% | $74,545 |
| Duke University | Durham | Private Nonprofit | 6,442 | 5.7% | $97,800 |
| North Carolina Central University | Durham | Public | 6,081 | 87.0% | $42,968 |
| Fayetteville State University | Fayetteville | Public | 5,762 | 82.2% | $40,144 |
| Wake Forest University | Winston-Salem | Private Nonprofit | 5,485 | 21.7% | $78,158 |
| University of North Carolina at Pembroke | Pembroke | Public | 5,330 | 93.3% | $43,407 |
| Pitt Community College | Winterville | Public | 5,317 | — | $37,259 |
| High Point University | High Point | Private Nonprofit | 5,129 | 75.3% | $61,389 |
| Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College | Asheville | Public | 5,110 | — | $36,048 |
| Winston-Salem State University | Winston-Salem | Public | 4,170 | 78.3% | $45,344 |
| Rowan-Cabarrus Community College | Salisbury | Public | 4,164 | — | $34,936 |
| Durham Technical Community College | Durham | Public | 3,890 | — | $36,142 |
| Gaston College | Dallas | Public | 3,518 | — | $35,386 |
| Johnston Community College | Smithfield | Public | 3,453 | — | $37,310 |
| Central Carolina Community College | Sanford | Public | 3,237 | — | $33,525 |
| Alamance Community College | Graham | Public | 3,080 | — | $34,241 |
| University of North Carolina Asheville | Asheville | Public | 2,910 | 91.9% | $44,030 |
| Catawba Valley Community College | Hickory | Public | 2,741 | — | $36,977 |
| Wayne Community College | Goldsboro | Public | 2,739 | — | $34,148 |
| Coastal Carolina Community College | Jacksonville | Public | 2,724 | — | $36,444 |
| Campbell University | Buies Creek | Private Nonprofit | 2,680 | 87.2% | $54,886 |
| Strayer University-North Carolina | Greensboro | Private For-Profit | 2,671 | — | $40,092 |
| Wingate University | Wingate | Private Nonprofit | 2,668 | 91.1% | $52,649 |
| Davidson-Davie Community College | Thomasville | Public | 2,633 | — | $36,337 |
| Sandhills Community College | Pinehurst | Public | 2,539 | — | $31,656 |
| Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute | Hudson | Public | 2,393 | — | $34,515 |
| College of the Albemarle | Elizabeth City | Public | 2,001 | — | $33,234 |
| Craven Community College | New Bern | Public | 1,989 | — | $34,231 |
| Elizabeth City State University | Elizabeth City | Public | 1,975 | 64.2% | $40,026 |
| Mitchell Community College | Statesville | Public | 1,948 | — | $33,298 |
| Davidson College | Davidson | Private Nonprofit | 1,867 | 13.4% | $81,400 |
| Gardner-Webb University | Boiling Springs | Private Nonprofit | 1,856 | 77.2% | $48,039 |
| South Piedmont Community College | Polkton | Public | 1,833 | — | $37,308 |
| University of Mount Olive | Mount Olive | Private Nonprofit | 1,796 | 75.8% | $47,139 |
| Blue Ridge Community College | Flat Rock | Public | 1,758 | — | $36,324 |
| Nash Community College | Rocky Mount | Public | 1,689 | — | $34,912 |
| Vance-Granville Community College | Henderson | Public | 1,665 | — | $34,304 |
| Robeson Community College | Lumberton | Public | 1,551 | — | $29,036 |
| Surry Community College | Dobson | Public | 1,475 | — | $36,012 |
| Lenoir Community College | Kinston | Public | 1,469 | — | $33,866 |
| MyComputerCareer at Raleigh | Raleigh | Private For-Profit | 1,466 | — | — |
| Stanly Community College | Albemarle | Public | 1,465 | — | $36,686 |
| Methodist University | Fayetteville | Private Nonprofit | 1,448 | 75.1% | $48,050 |
| Randolph Community College | Asheboro | Public | 1,417 | — | $33,336 |
| Edgecombe Community College | Tarboro | Public | 1,397 | — | $33,267 |
| Wilson Community College | Wilson | Public | 1,373 | — | $32,973 |
| Lenoir-Rhyne University | Hickory | Private Nonprofit | 1,359 | 84.6% | $45,543 |
| Wilkes Community College | Wilkesboro | Public | 1,355 | — | $34,728 |
| Richmond Community College | Hamlet | Public | 1,352 | — | $29,951 |
| NASCAR Technical Institute | Mooresville | Private For-Profit | 1,345 | — | $52,873 |
| Western Piedmont Community College | Morganton | Public | 1,339 | — | $34,195 |
| Belmont Abbey College | Belmont | Private Nonprofit | 1,276 | 74.7% | $47,937 |
| Southwestern Community College | Sylva | Public | 1,249 | — | $34,145 |
| Johnson C Smith University | Charlotte | Private Nonprofit | 1,244 | 45.2% | $42,680 |
| Catawba College | Salisbury | Private Nonprofit | 1,235 | 75.2% | $48,793 |
| North Carolina Wesleyan University | Rocky Mount | Private Nonprofit | 1,214 | 80.2% | $45,873 |
| Brunswick Community College | Bolivia | Public | 1,211 | — | $36,668 |
| Queens University of Charlotte | Charlotte | Private Nonprofit | 1,211 | 62.1% | $57,673 |
| Meredith College | Raleigh | Private Nonprofit | 1,188 | 74.2% | $51,539 |
| Johnson & Wales University-Charlotte | Charlotte | Private Nonprofit | 1,184 | 79.9% | $43,418 |
| Carteret Community College | Morehead City | Public | 1,172 | — | $33,357 |
| Isothermal Community College | Spindale | Public | 1,169 | — | $33,325 |
| Cleveland Community College | Shelby | Public | 1,097 | — | $33,755 |
| Beaufort County Community College | Washington | Public | 1,074 | — | $32,519 |
| Rockingham Community College | Wentworth | Public | 1,065 | — | $32,480 |
| Mars Hill University | Mars Hill | Private Nonprofit | 1,044 | 67.9% | $44,781 |
| Bladen Community College | Dublin | Public | 1,030 | — | $30,591 |
| Guilford College | Greensboro | Private Nonprofit | 1,001 | 80.0% | $47,590 |
| Barton College | Wilson | Private Nonprofit | 982 | 94.2% | $47,913 |
| University of North Carolina School of the Arts | Winston Salem | Public | 945 | 30.0% | $38,357 |
| Livingstone College | Salisbury | Private Nonprofit | 924 | 59.3% | $32,600 |
| Shaw University | Raleigh | Private Nonprofit | 875 | 80.2% | $34,409 |
| Lees-McRae College | Banner Elk | Private Nonprofit | 873 | 76.8% | $43,415 |
| Montgomery Community College | Troy | Public | 852 | — | $32,742 |
| Haywood Community College | Clyde | Public | 849 | — | $34,770 |
| Sampson Community College | Clinton | Public | 846 | — | $33,409 |
| Southeastern Community College | Whiteville | Public | 820 | — | $30,284 |
| Brevard College | Brevard | Private Nonprofit | 815 | 42.2% | $43,545 |
| James Sprunt Community College | Kenansville | Public | 799 | — | $29,307 |
| Montreat College | Montreat | Private Nonprofit | 762 | 69.2% | $45,151 |
| Halifax Community College | Weldon | Public | 723 | — | $31,644 |
| Cabarrus College of Health Sciences | Concord | Private Nonprofit | 712 | 23.4% | $58,708 |
| Greensboro College | Greensboro | Private Nonprofit | 708 | 70.1% | $46,566 |
| Warren Wilson College | Swannanoa | Private Nonprofit | 707 | 71.3% | $36,260 |
| William Peace University | Raleigh | Private Nonprofit | 666 | 94.3% | $46,643 |
| Pfeiffer University | Misenheimer | Private Nonprofit | 655 | 96.0% | $51,562 |
| McDowell Technical Community College | Marion | Public | 608 | — | $33,035 |
| Chowan University | Murfreesboro | Private Nonprofit | 603 | 68.8% | $38,412 |
| Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary | Wake Forest | Private Nonprofit | 585 | 74.6% | — |
| Carolinas College of Health Sciences | Charlotte | Public | 533 | 59.9% | $64,624 |
| Tri-County Community College | Murphy | Public | 472 | — | $32,232 |
| Carolina University | Winston-Salem | Private Nonprofit | 460 | 39.5% | $32,864 |
| Piedmont Community College | Roxboro | Public | 457 | — | $33,274 |
| Salem College | Winston-Salem | Private Nonprofit | 423 | 76.7% | $44,640 |
| Miller-Motte College-Raleigh | Raleigh | Private For-Profit | 409 | — | $31,102 |
| Louisburg College | Louisburg | Private Nonprofit | 402 | 55.8% | $34,818 |
| Mayland Community College | Spruce Pine | Public | 362 | — | $34,663 |
| Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Charlotte | Charlotte | Private For-Profit | 344 | — | $42,759 |
| Miller-Motte College-Fayetteville | Fayetteville | Private For-Profit | 336 | — | $31,102 |
| Martin Community College | Williamston | Public | 313 | — | $26,016 |
| Roanoke-Chowan Community College | Ahoskie | Public | 309 | — | $29,324 |
| Galen Health Institutes-Asheville | Asheville | Private For-Profit | 253 | — | $61,480 |
| Southeastern College-Charlotte | Charlotte | Private For-Profit | 252 | 93.7% | $31,548 |
| Chamberlain University-North Carolina | Charlotte | Private For-Profit | 202 | 100.0% | $92,405 |
| Aveda Institute-Chapel Hill | Chapel Hill | Private For-Profit | 198 | — | $26,873 |
| Miller-Motte College-Jacksonville | Jacksonville | Private For-Profit | 195 | — | $31,102 |
| Manna University | Fayetteville | Private Nonprofit | 183 | 52.7% | — |
| Bennett College | Greensboro | Private Nonprofit | 178 | 50.7% | $36,654 |
| Saint Augustine's University | Raleigh | Private Nonprofit | 172 | 33.8% | $35,730 |
| Pamlico Community College | Grantsboro | Public | 165 | — | $30,005 |
| Carolina College of Biblical Studies | Fayetteville | Private Nonprofit | 159 | — | $24,581 |
| Paul Mitchell the School-Fayetteville | Fayetteville | Private For-Profit | 149 | — | $26,696 |
| Gwinnett College | Raleigh | Private For-Profit | 146 | — | $29,234 |
| College of Wilmington | Wilmington | Private For-Profit | 132 | — | $19,235 |
| Mid-Atlantic Christian University | Elizabeth City | Private Nonprofit | 132 | 62.2% | $38,342 |
| Paul Mitchell the School-Raleigh | Raleigh | Private For-Profit | 130 | — | — |
| Watts College of Nursing | Durham | Private Nonprofit | 124 | — | — |
| Empire Beauty School-Concord | Concord | Private For-Profit | 110 | — | $23,925 |
| Leons Beauty School Inc | Greensboro | Private For-Profit | 102 | — | $26,958 |
| Empire Beauty School-West Greensboro | Greensboro | Private For-Profit | 99 | — | $24,407 |
| Paul Mitchell the School-Charlotte | Charlotte | Private For-Profit | 97 | — | $23,966 |
| Empire Beauty School-Charlotte | Charlotte | Private For-Profit | 90 | — | $24,022 |
| Empire Beauty School-Winston-Salem | Winston-Salem | Private For-Profit | 80 | — | $24,397 |
| Empire Beauty School-Pineville | Charlotte | Private For-Profit | 75 | — | $23,925 |
| South University-High Point | High Point | Private For-Profit | 67 | — | $34,421 |
| Southeastern Free Will Baptist Bible College | Wendell | Private Nonprofit | 64 | — | — |
| Alexander Paul Institute of Hair Design | Greenville | Private For-Profit | 55 | — | — |
| Carolina Christian College | Winston Salem | Private Nonprofit | 52 | — | $40,672 |
| Center for Massage | Asheville | Private For-Profit | 51 | — | $19,244 |
| Carolina College of Hair Design Inc | Asheville | Private For-Profit | 46 | — | — |
| Bull City Durham Beauty and Barber College | Durham | Private For-Profit | 41 | — | — |
| Beyond Measure Barbering Institute | Mebane | Private For-Profit | 38 | — | — |
| One Stop Academy | Fayetteville | Private For-Profit | 31 | — | — |
| Winston Salem Barber School | Winston-Salem | Private For-Profit | 29 | — | $16,389 |
| No Grease Barber School | Charlotte | Private For-Profit | 28 | — | — |
| Charlotte Christian College and Theological Seminary | Charlotte | Private Nonprofit | 24 | — | $33,696 |
| Heritage Bible College | Dunn | Private Nonprofit | 22 | — | $30,672 |
| Pinnacle Institute of Cosmetology | Mooresville | Private For-Profit | 18 | — | $22,786 |
| Hood Theological Seminary | Salisbury | Private Nonprofit | — | — | — |
| Daoist Traditions College of Chinese Medical Arts | Asheville | Private For-Profit | — | — | — |
| Jung Tao School of Classical Chinese Medicine | Sugar Grove | Private Nonprofit | — | — | — |
| Shepherds Theological Seminary | Cary | Private Nonprofit | — | — | — |
| Gaston College | Dallas | Public | — | — | $35,386 |
| Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary-Nash County Extension Center | Nashville | Private Nonprofit | — | — | — |
| Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary-Wake County Extension Center | Raleigh | Private Nonprofit | — | — | — |
| Winston - Salem Barber School - Satellite | Greensboro | Private For-Profit | — | — | $16,389 |
| South College-Asheville | Asheville | Private For-Profit | — | — | $36,642 |
| Union Presbyterian Seminary-Charlotte | Charlotte | Private Nonprofit | — | — | — |
| ECPI University-Greensboro | Greensboro | Private For-Profit | — | — | $42,837 |
| ECPI University-Charlotte | Charlotte | Private For-Profit | — | — | $42,837 |
| ECPI University-Raleigh | Raleigh | Private For-Profit | — | — | $42,837 |
Featured Colleges in North Carolina
Quick picks from this state — compare two schools side by side
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About This Data
School data comes from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and IPEDS institutional characteristics files. Enrollment, admissions, and earnings figures are the most recently available. Earnings represent median income 10 years after enrollment for students who received federal financial aid, drawn from U.S. Treasury tax records linked to federal student aid applicants.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.