Best Community Colleges in North Carolina by Salary Potential
Check out North Carolina’s top community colleges by graduate salary.
| Rank | School Name | School Sector | Early Career Pay | Mid-Career Pay | % High Meaning | % STEM Degrees |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank:1 | School Name: Campbell University | School Sector:Private not-for-profit | Early Career Pay:$51,900 | Mid-Career Pay:$75,900 | % High Meaning:- | % STEM Degrees:10% |
| Rank:2 | School Name: Cabarrus College of Health Sciences | School Sector:Private not-for-profit | Early Career Pay:$51,400 | Mid-Career Pay:$73,200 | % High Meaning:- | % STEM Degrees:0% |
| Rank:3 | School Name:_50px.png) North Carolina State University at Raleigh | School Sector:Public | Early Career Pay:$46,400 | Mid-Career Pay:$68,500 | % High Meaning:61% | % STEM Degrees:45% |
| Rank:4 | School Name:Louisburg College | School Sector:Private not-for-profit | Early Career Pay:$44,300 | Mid-Career Pay:$65,000 | % High Meaning:- | % STEM Degrees:10% |
| Rank:5 | School Name: Central Piedmont Community College | School Sector:Public | Early Career Pay:$41,900 | Mid-Career Pay:$64,400 | % High Meaning:50% | % STEM Degrees:6% |
| Rank:6 | School Name:Montreat College | School Sector:Private not-for-profit | Early Career Pay:$43,900 | Mid-Career Pay:$64,200 | % High Meaning:- | % STEM Degrees:21% |
| Rank:7 | School Name: Wake Technical Community College | School Sector:Public | Early Career Pay:$43,600 | Mid-Career Pay:$63,600 | % High Meaning:56% | % STEM Degrees:14% |
| Rank:8 | School Name: Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute | School Sector:Public | Early Career Pay:$42,500 | Mid-Career Pay:$63,300 | % High Meaning:67% | % STEM Degrees:3% |
| Rank:9 | School Name:Robeson Community College | School Sector:Public | Early Career Pay:$41,300 | Mid-Career Pay:$62,300 | % High Meaning:70% | % STEM Degrees:2% |
| Rank:10 | School Name:Piedmont Community College | School Sector:Public | Early Career Pay:$41,300 | Mid-Career Pay:$62,200 | % High Meaning:38% | % STEM Degrees:4% |
| Rank:11 | School Name:Durham Technical Community College | School Sector:Public | Early Career Pay:$42,800 | Mid-Career Pay:$62,100 | % High Meaning:57% | % STEM Degrees:19% |
| Rank:12 | School Name: Forsyth Technical Community College | School Sector:Public | Early Career Pay:$42,300 | Mid-Career Pay:$61,700 | % High Meaning:55% | % STEM Degrees:8% |
| Rank:13 | School Name:Sampson Community College | School Sector:Public | Early Career Pay:$39,100 | Mid-Career Pay:$61,000 | % High Meaning:39% | % STEM Degrees:7% |
| Rank:13 | School Name:Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College | School Sector:Public | Early Career Pay:$42,200 | Mid-Career Pay:$61,000 | % High Meaning:64% | % STEM Degrees:5% |
| Rank:15 | School Name: Cape Fear Community College | School Sector:Public | Early Career Pay:$41,600 | Mid-Career Pay:$60,900 | % High Meaning:63% | % STEM Degrees:5% |
| Rank:16 | School Name: Pitt Community College | School Sector:Public | Early Career Pay:$39,700 | Mid-Career Pay:$60,700 | % High Meaning:70% | % STEM Degrees:4% |
| Rank:17 | School Name:James Sprunt Community College | School Sector:Public | Early Career Pay:$40,100 | Mid-Career Pay:$60,600 | % High Meaning:74% | % STEM Degrees:7% |
| Rank:18 | School Name:Catawba Valley Community College | School Sector:Public | Early Career Pay:$40,400 | Mid-Career Pay:$60,200 | % High Meaning:64% | % STEM Degrees:3% |
| Rank:19 | School Name:Mayland Community College | School Sector:Public | Early Career Pay:$40,000 | Mid-Career Pay:$60,000 | % High Meaning:76% | % STEM Degrees:4% |
| Rank:19 | School Name:_50px.png) Guilford Technical Community College | School Sector:Public | Early Career Pay:$39,700 | Mid-Career Pay:$60,000 | % High Meaning:57% | % STEM Degrees:9% |
| Rank:21 | School Name:Rockingham Community College | School Sector:Public | Early Career Pay:$41,100 | Mid-Career Pay:$59,900 | % High Meaning:58% | % STEM Degrees:3% |
| Rank:21 | School Name:Roanoke-Chowan Community College | School Sector:Public | Early Career Pay:$40,200 | Mid-Career Pay:$59,900 | % High Meaning:76% | % STEM Degrees:2% |
| Rank:23 | School Name:Coastal Carolina Community College | School Sector:Public | Early Career Pay:$37,900 | Mid-Career Pay:$59,600 | % High Meaning:58% | % STEM Degrees:4% |
| Rank:24 | School Name:Nash Community College | School Sector:Public | Early Career Pay:$40,400 | Mid-Career Pay:$59,500 | % High Meaning:60% | % STEM Degrees:6% |
| Rank:25 | School Name:Randolph Community College | School Sector:Public | Early Career Pay:$37,400 | Mid-Career Pay:$59,300 | % High Meaning:55% | % STEM Degrees:2% |
If you’re looking for the best colleges in North Carolina, you should feel confident kniwing the state is home to a robust public school system where students can earn associate degrees to prepare them for a variety of careers. Well-known 2-year schools, such as Davidson County Community College, Wake Technical Community College, and Central Piedmont Community College are included on this list, as well as one four-year college that grants both associate and bachelor’s degrees. (This list only includes salary data for alumni who graduated with an associate degree.) In total, North Carolina’s community college system has 58 campuses within half an hour of 99 percent of the state’s residents, and is nationally recognized for its career-oriented programs. Manufacturing, aerospace and aviation, IT, and agribusiness are some of the top industries in the state.
A healthy percent of Southwestern Community College alumni find their jobs to be highly meaningful, making them the most fulfilled workers in North Carolina.