College ROI Report
Updated 2024
Best-value Colleges in North Carolina
PayScale’s 2016 College ROI Report ranks North Carolina colleges by their return on investment for your educational dollars.
| Rank | School Name | 20 Year Net ROI | Total 4 Year Cost | Graduation Rate | Typical Years to Graduate | Average Loan Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank:1 | School Name: Duke University (Private) | 20 Year Net ROI:$837,000 | Total 4 Year Cost:$317,000 | Graduation Rate:97% | Typical Years to Graduate:4 | Average Loan Amount:$25,400 |
| Rank:2 | School Name:_50px.png) North Carolina State University at Raleigh (In-State) | 20 Year Net ROI:$621,000 | Total 4 Year Cost:$99,600 | Graduation Rate:85% | Typical Years to Graduate:4 | Average Loan Amount:$28,800 |
| Rank:3 | School Name: Wake Forest University (Private) | 20 Year Net ROI:$598,000 | Total 4 Year Cost:$315,000 | Graduation Rate:90% | Typical Years to Graduate:4 | Average Loan Amount:$40,300 |
| Rank:4 | School Name:North Carolina State University at Raleigh (Out-of-State) | 20 Year Net ROI:$538,000 | Total 4 Year Cost:$182,000 | Graduation Rate:85% | Typical Years to Graduate:4 | Average Loan Amount:$28,800 |
| Rank:5 | School Name:_50px.png) University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (In-State) | 20 Year Net ROI:$511,000 | Total 4 Year Cost:$98,800 | Graduation Rate:91% | Typical Years to Graduate:4 | Average Loan Amount:$31,800 |
| Rank:6 | School Name:_50px.png) University of North Carolina at Charlotte (In-State) | 20 Year Net ROI:$476,000 | Total 4 Year Cost:$97,300 | Graduation Rate:70% | Typical Years to Graduate:4 | Average Loan Amount:$28,500 |
| Rank:7 | School Name: North Carolina A & T State University (In-State) | 20 Year Net ROI:$432,000 | Total 4 Year Cost:$75,000 | Graduation Rate:57% | Typical Years to Graduate:5 | Average Loan Amount:$26,500 |
| Rank:8 | School Name:University of North Carolina at Charlotte (Out-of-State) | 20 Year Net ROI:$421,000 | Total 4 Year Cost:$152,000 | Graduation Rate:70% | Typical Years to Graduate:4 | Average Loan Amount:$28,500 |
| Rank:9 | School Name:University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (Out-of-State) | 20 Year Net ROI:$401,000 | Total 4 Year Cost:$210,000 | Graduation Rate:91% | Typical Years to Graduate:4 | Average Loan Amount:$31,800 |
| Rank:10 | School Name:North Carolina A & T State University (Out-of-State) | 20 Year Net ROI:$378,000 | Total 4 Year Cost:$129,000 | Graduation Rate:57% | Typical Years to Graduate:5 | Average Loan Amount:$26,500 |
The Tar Heel State is home to the famous Research Triangle, a wide selection high value colleges and universities, as well as hundreds of square miles of rolling hills and mountains and some of the most beautiful beaches on the Atlantic coast. Payscale’s data can help you easily pinpoint the best value colleges in North Carolina before you apply.
Prestigious and private Duke University is located in Durham. Founded in 1838, it sprawls across an immense, 8,600-acre campus that is lovingly referred to as the Gothic Wonderland due to its overwhelmingly Collegiate Gothic architecture. Made up of two undergraduate schools, including the Pratt School of Engineering, Duke produces more Fulbright, Rhodes, Goldwater and Truman scholars than any other private university in the nation. Without question, it is one of the best value colleges in North Carolina and a great choice if you can get in. And if you are a basketball fan, Duke’s Blue Devils are one of the most successful college basketball teams in the country year after year. (Just don’t wear the wrong shade of blue to a game!)
As the largest university in the Carolinas, North Carolina State University stands apart from other colleges in many ways. NC State is located in Raleigh and offers more than 100 bachelor’s degrees, more than 100 master’s degrees and more than 60 doctoral degrees. Best known for its programs in engineering, agriculture, textiles and design and the life sciences, NC State offers the value of college education North Carolina residents can use to build strong careers.
With its location just north of downtown Winston-Salem, Wake Forest University provides a return on investment North Carolina students and their families are sure to appreciate. The university is made up of an undergraduate college, a Graduate School of Arts and Sciences and four professional schools, and it’s an optimal choice for students who want top-notch educations that deliver the best value for their educational investments.
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