Colleges with the highest earnings 10 years after enrolling in North Carolina
Key facts
- #1 Duke University, NC: $98k
- #2 Davidson College, NC: $81k
- #3 Wake Forest University, NC: $78k
- 100 colleges ranked across North Carolina
- Data as of November 2026
For comparison: $43k across the typical college in this list.
- 1Duke University NC$98k
- 2Davidson College NC$81k
- 3Wake Forest University NC$78k
- 4Elon University NC$75k
- 5University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill NC$72k
- 6North Carolina State University at Raleigh NC$69k
- 7Carolinas College of Health Sciences NC$65k
- 8High Point University NC$61k
- 9Cabarrus College of Health Sciences NC$59k
- 10Queens University of Charlotte NC$58k
What stands out
- The lead is wide: Duke University ($98k) is well clear of Queens University of Charlotte at #10 ($58k).
- Carolinas College of Health Sciences reaches #7 on a sample of 533 students enrolled, a smaller market than most of the top ten, so its rank can move more from month to month.
- North Carolina State University at Raleigh is the largest market in the top ten, with 27,371 students enrolled behind its figure.
- Colleges with fewer than 500 students enrolled are not ranked, and small differences between neighbouring ranks are not meaningful.
Why this ranking matters
What it shows
Median earnings ten years after enrolling show what former students of a college go on to earn, as the Department of Education publishes it.
How to use it
Compare colleges within the same level and field, and read earnings next to completion rate and net price. Earnings reflect who enrolls and what they study as much as the college.
The top 25
- 1
Duke University NC
$98k
- Completion rate
- 97%
- Net price a year
- $29,612
- Private nonprofit
- 6,442 students
Based on 6,442 students enrolled.
- 2
Davidson College NC
$81k
- Completion rate
- 91%
- Net price a year
- $17,379
- Private nonprofit
- 1,867 students
Based on 1,867 students enrolled.
- 3
Wake Forest University NC
$78k
- Completion rate
- 89%
- Net price a year
- $28,719
- Private nonprofit
- 5,485 students
Based on 5,485 students enrolled.
- 4
Elon University NC
$75k
- Completion rate
- 84%
- Net price a year
- $41,555
- Private nonprofit
- 6,452 students
Based on 6,452 students enrolled.
- 5
- Completion rate
- 91%
- Net price a year
- $11,655
- Public
- 20,752 students
Based on 20,752 students enrolled.
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill: programs, pay and open jobs nearby
- 6
- Completion rate
- 85%
- Net price a year
- $17,303
- Public
- 27,371 students
Based on 27,371 students enrolled.
North Carolina State University at Raleigh: programs, pay and open jobs nearby
- 7
- Completion rate
- 100%
- Net price a year
- Not available
- Public
- 533 students
Based on 533 students enrolled.
Carolinas College of Health Sciences: programs, pay and open jobs nearby
- 8
High Point University NC
$61k
- Completion rate
- 74%
- Net price a year
- $38,707
- Private nonprofit
- 5,129 students
Based on 5,129 students enrolled.
- 9
- Completion rate
- 71%
- Net price a year
- $17,618
- Private nonprofit
- 712 students
Based on 712 students enrolled.
Cabarrus College of Health Sciences: programs, pay and open jobs nearby
- 10
Queens University of Charlotte NC
$58k
- Completion rate
- 61%
- Net price a year
- $30,857
- Private nonprofit
- 1,211 students
Based on 1,211 students enrolled.
Queens University of Charlotte: programs, pay and open jobs nearby
- 11
- Completion rate
- 69%
- Net price a year
- $15,435
- Public
- 24,453 students
Based on 24,453 students enrolled.
University of North Carolina at Charlotte: programs, pay and open jobs nearby
- 12
East Carolina University NC
$55k
- Completion rate
- 63%
- Net price a year
- $15,739
- Public
- 19,896 students
Based on 19,896 students enrolled.
East Carolina University: programs, pay and open jobs nearby
- 13
- Completion rate
- 71%
- Net price a year
- $20,109
- Public
- 14,922 students
Based on 14,922 students enrolled.
University of North Carolina Wilmington: programs, pay and open jobs nearby
- 14
Campbell University NC
$55k
- Completion rate
- 61%
- Net price a year
- $24,516
- Private nonprofit
- 2,680 students
Based on 2,680 students enrolled.
- 15
NASCAR Technical Institute NC
$53k
- Completion rate
- 65%
- Net price a year
- $28,915
- Private for-profit
- 1,345 students
Based on 1,345 students enrolled.
NASCAR Technical Institute: programs, pay and open jobs nearby
- 16
Wingate University NC
$53k
- Completion rate
- 46%
- Net price a year
- $20,748
- Private nonprofit
- 2,668 students
Based on 2,668 students enrolled.
- 17
Appalachian State University NC
$52k
- Completion rate
- 75%
- Net price a year
- $16,836
- Public
- 19,444 students
Based on 19,444 students enrolled.
Appalachian State University: programs, pay and open jobs nearby
- 18
Pfeiffer University NC
$52k
- Completion rate
- 35%
- Net price a year
- $19,076
- Private nonprofit
- 655 students
Based on 655 students enrolled.
- 19
Meredith College NC
$52k
- Completion rate
- 70%
- Net price a year
- $22,488
- Private nonprofit
- 1,188 students
Based on 1,188 students enrolled.
- 20
Western Carolina University NC
$49k
- Completion rate
- 60%
- Net price a year
- $13,315
- Public
- 10,024 students
Based on 10,024 students enrolled.
Western Carolina University: programs, pay and open jobs nearby
- 21
Catawba College NC
$49k
- Completion rate
- 47%
- Net price a year
- $17,879
- Private nonprofit
- 1,235 students
Based on 1,235 students enrolled.
- 22
- Completion rate
- 56%
- Net price a year
- $10,965
- Public
- 14,062 students
Based on 14,062 students enrolled.
University of North Carolina at Greensboro: programs, pay and open jobs nearby
- 23
Methodist University NC
$48k
- Completion rate
- 44%
- Net price a year
- $24,704
- Private nonprofit
- 1,448 students
Based on 1,448 students enrolled.
- 24
Gardner-Webb University NC
$48k
- Completion rate
- 55%
- Net price a year
- $17,674
- Private nonprofit
- 1,856 students
Based on 1,856 students enrolled.
- 25
Belmont Abbey College NC
$48k
- Completion rate
- 47%
- Net price a year
- $24,639
- Private nonprofit
- 1,276 students
Based on 1,276 students enrolled.
Full ranking
All 100 colleges that qualified, with the figure each is ranked on.
How this ranking works
Earnings are the median earnings of students who received federal financial aid, ten years after they first enrolled, as published in the Department of Education College Scorecard. They describe past students, not a promise for future ones.
Only colleges with at least 500 students and published earnings are ranked. A college's earnings reflect who enrolls and what they study as much as what the college teaches.
Sample bar: colleges with fewer than 500 students enrolled are not ranked.
Sources: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard (median earnings, completion, net price), as held in our college tables. Data as of November 2026.
Our job data covers professional roles on the career sites of employers we track, so figures describe that market, not every job. Spot an error? Tell us.
Questions
- Which certification ranks first: colleges with the highest earnings 10 years after enrolling in north carolina?
- Duke University leads North Carolina among colleges for earnings: its former students earn a median of $98k ten years after enrolling, against $43k for the typical college in this list.
- How many colleges are ranked?
- 100 colleges have at least 500 students enrolled, so the list has 100 entries.
- How is the ranking calculated?
- Earnings are the median earnings of students who received federal financial aid, ten years after they first enrolled, as published in the Department of Education College Scorecard. They describe past students, not a promise for future ones. Only colleges with at least 500 students and published earnings are ranked. A college's earnings reflect who enrolls and what they study as much as what the college teaches.
- How often is it updated?
- Every month. This is the November 2026 edition. Older editions stay on this site at their own dated addresses.
More rankings
- Best cities for junior jobs in North Carolina
- Colleges with the highest earnings 10 years after enrolling
- Four-year colleges with the highest earnings 10 years after enrolling
- Community and two-year colleges with the highest earnings 10 years after enrolling
- Colleges with the highest earnings 10 years after enrolling in the Northeast
- Colleges with the highest earnings 10 years after enrolling in New England
- Colleges with the highest earnings 10 years after enrolling in the Mid-Atlantic
- All rankings
Cite this ranking
NextChapter, “Colleges with the highest earnings 10 years after enrolling in North Carolina,” November 2026 edition. https://launchyournextchapter.com/rankings/colleges-with-the-highest-earnings-in-north-carolina
Link to it: <a href="https://launchyournextchapter.com/rankings/colleges-with-the-highest-earnings-in-north-carolina">Colleges with the highest earnings 10 years after enrolling in North Carolina (NextChapter, November 2026)</a>
Download the data: CSV · JSON. Free to use with a link back.
The job market, once a week
One email every Tuesday with the week's most useful read on the job market and the search, plus occasional news from NextChapter. No account needed. Unsubscribe any time.
Applying and hearing nothing back?
Find out where you stand: your odds, the jobs that fit you and a plan for the week ahead. Free. No résumé needed.
Already a member? Log in
Run a workforce board, job center or economic development office, or hire in the places and industries on this list?
Leave your work email. We'll send how organizations use NextChapter to reach job seekers.