North Carolina

Average student debt in North Carolina — 20 colleges, and what their graduates earn

Every North Carolina university with published federal figures, ordered by how fast the debt clears. The typical graded US university clears its debt in 1.3 years on median earnings of $57,146 against $22,500 of debt.

#UniversityGradeYou borrowMonthlyYou earnDebt clears in
1 Duke University North Carolina A $13,000 $148 $97,800 0.2 yrs
2 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill North Carolina A $14,000 $159 $72,200 0.4 yrs
3 Davidson College North Carolina A $18,688 $212 $81,400 0.5 yrs
4 Wake Forest University North Carolina A $21,500 $244 $78,158 0.6 yrs
5 High Point University North Carolina C $24,575 $279 $61,389 1.1 yrs
6 University of North Carolina at Charlotte North Carolina C $21,500 $244 $57,289 1.2 yrs
7 University of North Carolina at Wilmington North Carolina C $19,500 $222 $54,967 1.3 yrs
8 Campbell University North Carolina C $22,500 $256 $54,886 1.5 yrs
9 East Carolina University North Carolina C $22,750 $259 $55,146 1.5 yrs
10 Appalachian State University North Carolina C $20,231 $230 $51,836 1.6 yrs
11 Meredith College North Carolina D $25,000 $284 $51,539 2.1 yrs
12 Pfeiffer University North Carolina D $26,163 $297 $51,562 2.2 yrs
13 Western Carolina University North Carolina D $21,868 $249 $49,458 2.2 yrs
14 The University of North Carolina at Greensboro North Carolina D $22,858 $260 $48,160 2.7 yrs
15 Guilford College North Carolina F $26,000 $296 $47,590 3.2 yrs
16 University of North Carolina at Asheville North Carolina F $20,500 $233 $44,030 4.6 yrs
17 Montreat College North Carolina F $25,813 $293 $45,151 4.6 yrs
18 The University of North Carolina at Pembroke North Carolina F $25,000 $284 $43,407 6.4 yrs
19 North Carolina Central University North Carolina F $28,250 $321 $42,968 8.2 yrs
20 Johnson C. Smith University North Carolina F $30,000 $341 $42,680 9.5 yrs

In-state tuition is the lever that moves this most

The debt column is shaped far more by residency and institutional aid than by anything else. If you are applying from another state or another country, the figures here understate what you would borrow — check the university's own net price for your situation.

Read the salary next to the debt, never alone

Two universities in this state with identical graduate salaries can be two grades apart, because one leaves students owing twice as much. The payback column is the one that combines both.

Questions

Which university in North Carolina pays back fastest?
Duke University — $97,800 median earnings against $13,000 of debt, clearing in about 0.2 years.
How much do US students typically borrow?
Across the 810 universities we grade, median debt at graduation is $22,500 — about $256 a month on the standard ten-year federal plan.
Can scholarships change these numbers?
Directly. Every award comes off the borrowing before you ever repay it, which shortens the payback on each university page. Each page lists the scholarships we hold for that institution.
All payback rankings Fastest payback Lowest debt Highest earnings Scholarships that cut the debt How we calculate this

Source: US Department of Education College Scorecard. Figures cover students who received federal financial aid and blend every subject at each institution. Information only, not financial advice.