Colleges that pay for themselves fastest in North Carolina
Colleges ranked by how many years of extra earnings, above a high school graduate’s, cover four years of net price.
Colleges that pay for themselves fastest in North Carolina15 schools
15 schools qualify, ranked by payback years.
How this list is made
- Schools in North Carolina.
- Accredited four-year undergraduate colleges.
- Academic Excellence grade B+ or better (the top 35% of rated colleges).
- Has median earnings ten years after enrolling and a net price from federal data (College Scorecard), and those earnings are above a high school graduate’s ($48,360 a year: median weekly earnings of $930 for full-time workers with a high school diploma, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2024).
- Each school needs a complete Compass Score, so every row shows a rating.
- Payback years = four years of net price ÷ (earnings − a high school graduate’s earnings). Ordered by payback years, fewest first. A simple estimate: it leaves out interest, taxes and earnings growth.
Updated Oct. 20, 2026. Methodology. Spot an error? Send a correction.
- 1
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC · PublicHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A+
- Pays back in about 2.0 years
- Earnings $72,200 ten years out
- 2
Davidson College
Davidson, NC · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A+
- Pays back in about 2.1 years
- Earnings $81,400 ten years out
- 3
Duke University
Durham, NC · Private nonprofitHonor Roll#1 in North Carolina
- Pays back in about 2.4 years
- Earnings $97,800 ten years out
- 4
North Carolina State University at Raleigh
Raleigh, NC · PublicHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A
- Pays back in about 3.4 years
- Earnings $68,758 ten years out
- 5
Wake Forest University
Winston-Salem, NC · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A
- Pays back in about 3.9 years
- Earnings $78,158 ten years out
- 6
Elon University
Elon, NC · Private nonprofitTop 8% for graduation
- Pays back in about 6.3 years
- Earnings $74,545 ten years out
- 7
Cabarrus College of Health Sciences
Concord, NC · Private nonprofitExceptional: Compass grade A
- Pays back in about 6.8 years
- Earnings $58,708 ten years out
- 8
University of North Carolina at Charlotte
Charlotte, NC · PublicTop 22% for graduation
- Pays back in about 6.9 years
- Earnings $57,289 ten years out
- 9
East Carolina University
Greenville, NC · Public#17 in North Carolina
- Pays back in about 9.3 years
- Earnings $55,146 ten years out
- 10
High Point University
High Point, NC · Private nonprofitTop 16% for graduation
- Pays back in about 11.9 years
- Earnings $61,389 ten years out
- 11
University of North Carolina Wilmington
Wilmington, NC · PublicExcellent: Compass grade A-
- Pays back in about 12.2 years
- Earnings $54,967 ten years out
- 12
Queens University of Charlotte
Charlotte, NC · Private nonprofit#16 in North Carolina
- Pays back in about 13.3 years
- Earnings $57,673 ten years out
- 13
Campbell University
Buies Creek, NC · Private nonprofit#22 in North Carolina
- Pays back in about 15.0 years
- Earnings $54,886 ten years out
- 14
Appalachian State University
Boone, NC · PublicTop 15% for graduation
- Pays back in about 19.4 years
- Earnings $51,836 ten years out
- 15
Meredith College
Raleigh, NC · Private nonprofitTop 21% for graduation
- Pays back in about 28.3 years
- Earnings $51,539 ten years out
Compare cost and outcomes
| School | Net price a year | Median debt | Earnings 10 years out | Graduation rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | $11,655 | $14,000 | $72,200 | 91% |
| Davidson College | $17,379 | $18,688 | $81,400 | 91% |
| Duke University | $29,612 | $13,000 | $97,800 | 97% |
| North Carolina State University at Raleigh | $17,303 | $20,121 | $68,758 | 85% |
| Wake Forest University | $28,719 | $21,500 | $78,158 | 89% |
| Elon University | $41,555 | $20,500 | $74,545 | 84% |
| Cabarrus College of Health Sciences | $17,618 | $16,000 | $58,708 | 71% |
| University of North Carolina at Charlotte | $15,435 | $21,500 | $57,289 | 69% |
| East Carolina University | $15,739 | $22,750 | $55,146 | 63% |
| High Point University | $38,707 | $24,575 | $61,389 | 74% |
| University of North Carolina Wilmington | $20,109 | $19,500 | $54,967 | 71% |
| Queens University of Charlotte | $30,857 | $25,000 | $57,673 | 61% |
| Campbell University | $24,516 | $22,500 | $54,886 | 61% |
| Appalachian State University | $16,836 | $20,231 | $51,836 | 75% |
| Meredith College | $22,488 | $25,000 | $51,539 | 70% |
Net price is the average yearly cost after grants. Federal data (College Scorecard). “—” means the school reports no figure.
This list in other states
- Alabama 5
- Arizona 3
- Arkansas 5
- California 54
- Colorado 6
- Connecticut 13
- District of Columbia 5
- Florida 15
- Georgia 9
- Illinois 19
- Indiana 19
- Iowa 15
- Kansas 3
- Kentucky 5
- Louisiana 3
- Maine 7
- Maryland 14
- Massachusetts 38
- Michigan 19
- Minnesota 17
- Missouri 13
- Nebraska 8
- New Hampshire 4
- New Jersey 16
- New York 67
- Ohio 28
- Oklahoma 4
- Oregon 9
- Pennsylvania 54
- Rhode Island 8
- South Carolina 6
- Tennessee 7
- Texas 17
- Utah 4
- Vermont 5
- Virginia 19
- Washington 13
- Wisconsin 13