Highest 20-Year ROI Colleges in North Carolina
The biggest 20-year net financial gain over a high-school-only earner — tuition and debt already subtracted. Our tax-verified answer to the 20-year ROI question, from IRS-linked federal earnings rather than self-reported surveys.
Showing North Carolina
Clear state| # | College | Type | 20-yr net gain | 5-yr earnings | Net price | Median debt | 10-yr ROI | DR Rating | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Duke University Durham, NC | Private | $1,067,435 | $104,531 | $29,612 | $13,000 | +383% | Strong return | |
| 2 | Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary Wake Forest, NC | Private | $687,420 | $81,989 | $13,090 | — | +606% | Strong return | |
| 3 | Wake Forest University Winston-Salem, NC | Private | $623,269 | $82,299 | $28,719 | $21,500 | +204% | Strong return | |
| 4 | Pfeiffer University Misenheimer, NC | Private | $512,202 | $74,902 | $19,076 | $26,163 | +248% | Strong return | |
| 5 | Durham Technical Community College Durham, NC | Public | $476,437 | $69,257 | $1,664 | $14,750 | +2,687% | Strong return | |
| 6 | North Carolina State University at Raleigh Raleigh, NC | Public | $457,356 | $71,695 | $17,303 | $20,121 | +249% | Strong return | |
| 7 | Davidson College Davidson, NC | Private | $443,474 | $70,990 | $17,379 | $18,688 | +241% | Strong return | |
| 8 | Cabarrus College of Health Sciences Concord, NC | Private | $435,477 | $70,589 | $17,618 | $16,000 | +235% | Strong return | |
| 9 | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chapel Hill, NC | Public | $395,898 | $67,381 | $11,655 | $14,000 | +333% | Strong return | |
| 10 | University of North Carolina at Charlotte Charlotte, NC | Public | $342,385 | $65,598 | $15,435 | $21,500 | +196% | Strong return | |
| 11 | Elon University Elon, NC | Private | $312,770 | $69,323 | $41,555 | $20,500 | +40% | Break-even | |
| 12 | Halifax Community College Weldon, NC | Public | $288,620 | $60,335 | $9,040 | — | +748% | Strong return | |
| 13 | Wilson Community College Wilson, NC | Public | $276,246 | $59,310 | $3,064 | $10,500 | +1,338% | Strong return | |
| 14 | East Carolina University Greenville, NC | Public | $273,234 | $62,224 | $15,739 | $22,750 | +142% | Strong return | |
| 15 | Campbell University Buies Creek, NC | Private | $265,537 | $63,590 | $24,516 | $22,500 | +75% | Strong return | |
| 16 | Methodist University Fayetteville, NC | Private | $259,725 | $63,419 | $24,704 | $27,000 | +70% | Strong return | |
| 17 | MyComputerCareer at Raleigh Raleigh, NC | For-profit | $205,082 | $58,080 | $26,528 | $9,500 | +131% | Strong return | |
| 18 | Gardner-Webb University Boiling Springs, NC | Private | $197,977 | $58,875 | $17,674 | $24,222 | +75% | Strong return | |
| 19 | Montreat College Montreat, NC | Private | $197,910 | $60,778 | $27,061 | $25,813 | +34% | Break-even | |
| 20 | Sampson Community College Clinton, NC | Public | $183,084 | $54,465 | $3,108 | — | +1,423% | Strong return | |
| 21 | Appalachian State University Boone, NC | Public | $133,104 | $55,391 | $16,836 | $20,231 | +39% | Break-even | |
| 22 | Universal Technical Institute-Mooresville Mooresville, NC | For-profit | $129,148 | $54,588 | $28,915 | $13,124 | +53% | Break-even | |
| 23 | Wingate University Wingate, NC | Private | $125,398 | $55,875 | $20,748 | $25,000 | +18% | Break-even | |
| 24 | University of Mount Olive Mount Olive, NC | Private | $116,893 | $55,111 | $18,853 | $27,209 | +19% | Break-even | |
| 25 | North Carolina A & T State University Greensboro, NC | Public | $112,297 | $53,276 | $10,846 | $27,000 | +56% | Break-even | |
| 26 | North Carolina Wesleyan University Rocky Mount, NC | Private | $110,522 | $54,468 | $17,432 | $25,000 | +20% | Break-even | |
| 27 | Central Piedmont Community College Charlotte, NC | Public | $91,962 | $50,077 | $3,345 | $7,925 | +430% | Strong return | |
| 28 | Queens University of Charlotte Charlotte, NC | Private | $81,102 | $55,682 | $30,857 | $25,000 | -19% | Poor return | |
| 29 | Cape Fear Community College Wilmington, NC | Public | $80,738 | $50,171 | $9,610 | $9,500 | +128% | Strong return | |
| 30 | Meredith College Raleigh, NC | Private | $78,758 | $53,891 | $22,488 | $25,000 | -10% | Poor return | |
| 31 | Western Carolina University Cullowhee, NC | Public | $73,111 | $51,717 | $13,315 | $21,868 | +10% | Break-even | |
| 32 | College of the Albemarle Elizabeth City, NC | Public | $71,274 | $48,789 | $2,253 | — | +741% | Strong return | |
| 33 | Blue Ridge Community College Flat Rock, NC | Public | $69,415 | $49,265 | $5,756 | $12,000 | +169% | Strong return | |
| 34 | Fayetteville State University Fayetteville, NC | Public | $66,135 | $50,304 | $7,892 | $22,987 | +33% | Break-even | |
| 35 | Lenoir-Rhyne University Hickory, NC | Private | $61,289 | $52,676 | $20,689 | $26,000 | -17% | Poor return | |
| 36 | University of North Carolina at Greensboro Greensboro, NC | Public | $60,510 | $50,635 | $10,965 | $22,858 | +8% | Break-even | |
| 37 | Catawba Valley Community College Hickory, NC | Public | $52,505 | $48,768 | $10,528 | $4,938 | +65% | Break-even | |
| 38 | University of North Carolina Wilmington Wilmington, NC | Public | $44,518 | $51,603 | $20,109 | $19,500 | -25% | Poor return | |
| 39 | University of North Carolina at Pembroke Pembroke, NC | Public | $38,670 | $49,441 | $10,260 | $25,000 | -11% | Poor return | |
| 40 | North Carolina Central University Durham, NC | Public | $37,629 | $50,468 | $15,359 | $28,250 | -24% | Poor return | |
| 41 | Montgomery Community College Troy, NC | Public | $32,556 | $48,011 | $13,832 | — | +9% | Break-even | |
| 42 | William Peace University Raleigh, NC | Private | $32,276 | $51,349 | $21,649 | $22,250 | -33% | Poor return | |
| 43 | Brunswick Community College Bolivia, NC | Public | $23,582 | $47,080 | $9,009 | — | +15% | Break-even | |
| 44 | Brevard College Brevard, NC | Private | $-26,126 | $48,851 | $23,509 | $25,000 | -63% | Poor return | |
| 45 | Wake Technical Community College Raleigh, NC | Public | $-27,531 | $44,718 | $8,759 | $12,000 | -113% | Poor return | |
| 46 | Pitt Community College Winterville, NC | Public | $-39,139 | $43,995 | $7,337 | $11,977 | -153% | Poor return | |
| 47 | Winston-Salem State University Winston-Salem, NC | Public | $-45,766 | $45,863 | $13,479 | $25,000 | -86% | Poor return | |
| 48 | Nash Community College Rocky Mount, NC | Public | $-47,787 | $43,154 | $3,338 | $11,500 | -270% | Poor return | |
| 49 | Johnson & Wales University-Charlotte Charlotte, NC | Private | $-52,379 | $48,340 | $27,426 | $26,000 | -72% | Poor return | |
| 50 | Coastal Carolina Community College Jacksonville, NC | Public | $-55,942 | $43,149 | $9,461 | — | -198% | Poor return | |
| 51 | Mars Hill University Mars Hill, NC | Private | $-58,675 | $46,522 | $19,910 | $26,000 | -83% | Poor return | |
| 52 | Forsyth Technical Community College Winston-Salem, NC | Public | $-63,184 | $42,743 | $7,200 | $10,000 | -225% | Poor return | |
| 53 | Rockingham Community College Wentworth, NC | Public | $-66,120 | $41,900 | $2,060 | — | -852% | Poor return | |
| 54 | Chowan University Murfreesboro, NC | Private | $-70,231 | $44,843 | $14,086 | $29,491 | -102% | Poor return | |
| 55 | McDowell Technical Community College Marion, NC | Public | $-71,968 | $42,180 | $7,784 | — | -281% | Poor return | |
| 56 | Randolph Community College Asheboro, NC | Public | $-72,816 | $42,051 | $6,918 | — | -313% | Poor return | |
| 57 | Vance-Granville Community College Henderson, NC | Public | $-75,272 | $41,565 | $3,286 | — | -623% | Poor return | |
| 58 | Carteret Community College Morehead City, NC | Public | $-79,228 | $42,115 | $10,764 | — | -234% | Poor return | |
| 59 | Guilford College Greensboro, NC | Private | $-80,415 | $45,907 | $22,270 | $26,000 | -91% | Poor return | |
| 60 | Barton College Wilson, NC | Private | $-87,214 | $45,836 | $23,626 | $25,877 | -92% | Poor return | |
| 61 | Southwestern Community College Sylva, NC | Public | $-88,520 | $41,286 | $5,207 | $10,500 | -361% | Poor return | |
| 62 | Stanly Community College Albemarle, NC | Public | $-91,142 | $41,015 | $5,721 | — | -448% | Poor return | |
| 63 | Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute Hudson, NC | Public | $-95,969 | $41,442 | $10,810 | $8,750 | -243% | Poor return | |
| 64 | Johnson C Smith University Charlotte, NC | Private | $-99,568 | $44,747 | $20,894 | $30,000 | -103% | Poor return | |
| 65 | Cleveland Community College Shelby, NC | Public | $-115,270 | $39,336 | $995 | — | -2,946% | Poor return | |
| 66 | University of North Carolina Asheville Asheville, NC | Public | $-116,710 | $41,988 | $12,250 | $20,500 | -153% | Poor return | |
| 67 | Fayetteville Technical Community College Fayetteville, NC | Public | $-120,649 | $39,536 | $3,589 | $11,500 | -581% | Poor return | |
| 68 | Shaw University Raleigh, NC | Private | $-121,691 | $42,810 | $16,512 | $32,500 | -128% | Poor return | |
| 69 | Johnston Community College Smithfield, NC | Public | $-122,972 | $39,029 | $1,776 | — | -1,781% | Poor return | |
| 70 | Elizabeth City State University Elizabeth City, NC | Public | $-125,897 | $40,369 | $6,364 | $21,463 | -239% | Poor return | |
| 71 | Belmont Abbey College Belmont, NC | Private | $-126,411 | $44,081 | $24,639 | $26,000 | -109% | Poor return | |
| 72 | Lees-McRae College Banner Elk, NC | Private | $-127,832 | $44,593 | $28,340 | $17,375 | -103% | Poor return | |
| 73 | Wayne Community College Goldsboro, NC | Public | $-131,939 | $38,746 | $2,245 | $6,500 | -1,012% | Poor return | |
| 74 | Rowan-Cabarrus Community College Salisbury, NC | Public | $-133,749 | $39,283 | $7,981 | $9,458 | -395% | Poor return | |
| 75 | Catawba College Salisbury, NC | Private | $-135,926 | $42,235 | $17,879 | $25,000 | -134% | Poor return | |
| 76 | South Piedmont Community College Polkton, NC | Public | $-154,650 | $37,935 | $6,675 | — | -629% | Poor return | |
| 77 | Mitchell Community College Statesville, NC | Public | $-162,002 | $37,548 | $6,481 | — | -675% | Poor return | |
| 78 | Davidson-Davie Community College Thomasville, NC | Public | $-172,992 | $37,417 | $8,753 | $10,500 | -456% | Poor return | |
| 79 | Isothermal Community College Spindale, NC | Public | $-181,336 | $37,009 | $10,758 | — | -471% | Poor return | |
| 80 | Craven Community College New Bern, NC | Public | $-190,478 | $35,805 | $3,289 | — | -1,498% | Poor return | |
| 81 | Gaston College Dallas, NC | Public | $-191,624 | $36,078 | $6,592 | — | -777% | Poor return | |
| 82 | Robeson Community College Lumberton, NC | Public | $-194,184 | $35,580 | $2,892 | — | -1,729% | Poor return | |
| 83 | Lenoir Community College Kinston, NC | Public | $-200,114 | $35,407 | $4,127 | — | -1,262% | Poor return | |
| 84 | Alamance Community College Graham, NC | Public | $-205,978 | $35,312 | $6,109 | — | -893% | Poor return | |
| 85 | Guilford Technical Community College Jamestown, NC | Public | $-219,854 | $35,779 | $15,002 | $14,901 | -360% | Poor return | |
| 86 | Warren Wilson College Swannanoa, NC | Private | $-228,226 | $38,294 | $21,249 | $25,000 | -171% | Poor return | |
| 87 | Haywood Community College Clyde, NC | Public | $-231,206 | $34,112 | $6,723 | — | -910% | Poor return | |
| 88 | University of North Carolina School of the Arts Winston Salem, NC | Public | $-234,222 | $36,705 | $14,906 | $23,870 | -221% | Poor return | |
| 89 | Western Piedmont Community College Morganton, NC | Public | $-237,956 | $33,747 | $6,448 | — | -973% | Poor return | |
| 90 | Sandhills Community College Pinehurst, NC | Public | $-239,814 | $33,425 | $4,157 | — | -1,492% | Poor return | |
| 91 | Surry Community College Dobson, NC | Public | $-242,302 | $33,381 | $4,961 | — | -1,271% | Poor return | |
| 92 | Bladen Community College Dublin, NC | Public | $-243,082 | $33,801 | $9,551 | — | -686% | Poor return | |
| 93 | Beaufort County Community College Washington, NC | Public | $-244,400 | $33,430 | $6,500 | — | -990% | Poor return | |
| 94 | Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College Asheville, NC | Public | $-248,783 | $34,004 | $11,602 | $15,528 | -481% | Poor return | |
| 95 | Central Carolina Community College Sanford, NC | Public | $-263,372 | $32,376 | $5,446 | — | -1,259% | Poor return | |
| 96 | Livingstone College Salisbury, NC | Private | $-264,418 | $35,042 | $13,479 | $31,125 | -253% | Poor return | |
| 97 | James Sprunt Community College Kenansville, NC | Public | $-313,586 | $29,507 | $1,863 | — | -4,258% | Poor return | |
| 98 | Richmond Community College Hamlet, NC | Public | $-319,382 | $29,538 | $5,071 | — | -1,625% | Poor return | |
| 99 | Southeastern Community College Whiteville, NC | Public | $-331,916 | $29,319 | $9,148 | — | -957% | Poor return |
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard. ROI is computed by Degree Return — see how. Read the methodology. Data as of 2024.
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