Cost, debt & salary

Is University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill worth it? What it costs, and what graduates earn

You would borrow a median $14,000 — about $159 a month for ten years. Graduates earn a median $72,200 ten years after starting, so the debt clears in roughly 0.4 years of the salary premium.

A

Is it worth the money?

Yes — on the federal figures this is one of the fastest-paying degrees in the country.

You borrow $14,000 median federal debt at graduation
You repay $159/mo standard 10-year federal plan
You earn $72,200 median, 10 years after entry · beats 83%
Debt clears in 0.4 yrs ranked 63 of 810

What that feels like each month Repayment against the salary that has to cover it.

Gross monthly pay
$6,017
Loan repayment
$159
Share of your pay
2.6%
0%15% — the comfort line25%

Under roughly 15% of gross pay, repayment is generally considered manageable alongside rent and living costs.

Cut the debt before you borrow it

Every dollar you win is a dollar you never repay — and it moves the 0.4-year payback above. We list 3 scholarships tied to University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

University of North Carolina Morehead-Cain Scholarship 2026, U... Duke-UNC Rotary Peace Fellowships 2025 USA (Fully Funded) Peace Fellowships For International Students 2022
See all 3 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill scholarships →

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How University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill compares Against the 810 US universities we grade on payback.

The typical graded university clears its debt in 1.3 years on median earnings of $57,146 against $22,500 of debt. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill clears its debt faster than that, and its graduates earn $32,680 a year more than a US worker with only a high-school diploma.

Nearby universityGradeDebtEarningsPayback
Davidson College North Carolina A $18,688 $81,400 0.5 yrs
Wake Forest University North Carolina A $21,500 $78,158 0.6 yrs
Duke University North Carolina A $13,000 $97,800 0.2 yrs
High Point University North Carolina C $24,575 $61,389 1.1 yrs
University of North Carolina at Charlotte North Carolina C $21,500 $57,289 1.2 yrs

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill — the money questions

How much do graduates of University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill earn?
Median earnings are $72,200 a year, measured ten years after students first enrolled — from tax records, not a survey. That is higher than 83% of the US universities we hold figures for.
How much debt will I have at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill?
The median graduate leaves with $14,000 of federal loans. On the standard ten-year plan that is about $159 a month — roughly 2.6% of the median graduate's monthly pay before tax.
How long does a degree from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill take to pay for itself?
About 0.4 years of the salary premium — the amount graduates earn above the $39,520 a US worker with only a high-school diploma makes. That ranks it 63 of 810 US universities we grade on payback.
Can scholarships reduce this debt?
Yes — we list 3 scholarships tied to University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Each award you win comes straight off the borrowing above, and the payback figure falls with it.
Do these numbers apply to my subject?
No. The Department of Education publishes one figure per institution, so nursing, engineering and fine art students at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill all sit inside the same median. Treat it as the size of the financial risk, not a salary forecast for your course.
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill profile Programmes at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill scholarships University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill review & grade Compare with Davidson College Payback across North Carolina What University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill costs Student loan record SAT scores & admission Fastest-paying US degrees Lowest student debt How we calculate this

Source: US Department of Education College Scorecard — earnings and debt cover students who received federal financial aid and blend every subject taught at the institution. Figures imported 28 Aug 2026. This page is information, not financial advice.