Best Colleges in North Carolina by Salary Potential
Education is an investment, and you want your degree to pay off. Research earning potential for bachelor’s degree graduates from North Carolina’s colleges and universities.
| Rank | School Name | School Type | Early Career Pay | Mid-Career Pay | % High Meaning | % STEM Degrees |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank:1 | School Name: Duke University | School Type:Private School, Religious, Research University, For Sports Fans | Early Career Pay:$76,800 | Mid-Career Pay:$142,500 | % High Meaning:52% | % STEM Degrees:27% |
| Rank:2 | School Name: Wake Forest University | School Type:Party School, Private School, Research University, For Sports Fans | Early Career Pay:$65,300 | Mid-Career Pay:$128,900 | % High Meaning:41% | % STEM Degrees:15% |
| Rank:3 | School Name: Davidson College | School Type:Liberal Arts School, Private School, Religious, For Sports Fans | Early Career Pay:$61,300 | Mid-Career Pay:$124,100 | % High Meaning:51% | % STEM Degrees:30% |
| Rank:4 | School Name:_50px.png) North Carolina State University at Raleigh | School Type:Research University, For Sports Fans, State School | Early Career Pay:$62,200 | Mid-Career Pay:$114,200 | % High Meaning:52% | % STEM Degrees:45% |
| Rank:5 | School Name:_50px.png) University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | School Type:Research University, For Sports Fans, State School | Early Career Pay:$60,400 | Mid-Career Pay:$104,300 | % High Meaning:49% | % STEM Degrees:21% |
| Rank:6 | School Name: Elon University | School Type:Party School, Private School, For Sports Fans | Early Career Pay:$58,200 | Mid-Career Pay:$99,400 | % High Meaning:44% | % STEM Degrees:7% |
| Rank:7 | School Name:_50px.png) University of North Carolina at Charlotte | School Type:Research University, For Sports Fans, State School | Early Career Pay:$56,800 | Mid-Career Pay:$98,200 | % High Meaning:50% | % STEM Degrees:29% |
| Rank:8 | School Name: North Carolina A & T State University | School Type:Research University, For Sports Fans, State School | Early Career Pay:$57,600 | Mid-Career Pay:$97,700 | % High Meaning:60% | % STEM Degrees:26% |
| Rank:9 | School Name: High Point University | School Type:Private School, Religious, For Sports Fans | Early Career Pay:$53,700 | Mid-Career Pay:$91,300 | % High Meaning:45% | % STEM Degrees:8% |
| Rank:10 | School Name:_50px.png) East Carolina University | School Type:Research University, For Sports Fans, State School | Early Career Pay:$52,600 | Mid-Career Pay:$89,200 | % High Meaning:56% | % STEM Degrees:11% |
| Rank:10 | School Name: Appalachian State University | School Type:For Sports Fans, State School | Early Career Pay:$51,300 | Mid-Career Pay:$89,200 | % High Meaning:48% | % STEM Degrees:9% |
| Rank:12 | School Name: Lenoir-Rhyne University | School Type:Private School, Religious | Early Career Pay:$49,500 | Mid-Career Pay:$88,700 | % High Meaning:45% | % STEM Degrees:5% |
| Rank:13 | School Name: Queens University of Charlotte | School Type:Private School, Religious | Early Career Pay:$54,900 | Mid-Career Pay:$87,700 | % High Meaning:58% | % STEM Degrees:8% |
| Rank:14 | School Name:Methodist University | School Type:Private School, Religious | Early Career Pay:$49,800 | Mid-Career Pay:$86,700 | % High Meaning:54% | % STEM Degrees:12% |
| Rank:15 | School Name: Campbell University | School Type:Private School, Religious, For Sports Fans | Early Career Pay:$50,900 | Mid-Career Pay:$86,600 | % High Meaning:56% | % STEM Degrees:10% |
| Rank:16 | School Name: Johnson C Smith University | School Type:Liberal Arts School, Private School | Early Career Pay:$51,100 | Mid-Career Pay:$86,500 | % High Meaning:57% | % STEM Degrees:17% |
| Rank:17 | School Name:_50px.png) University of North Carolina Wilmington | School Type:For Sports Fans, State School | Early Career Pay:$50,400 | Mid-Career Pay:$86,200 | % High Meaning:50% | % STEM Degrees:13% |
| Rank:18 | School Name:University of North Carolina School of the Arts | School Type:Art, State School | Early Career Pay:$51,100 | Mid-Career Pay:$85,600 | % High Meaning:49% | % STEM Degrees:0% |
| Rank:19 | School Name:Warren Wilson College | School Type:Liberal Arts School, Private School | Early Career Pay:$42,000 | Mid-Career Pay:$81,700 | % High Meaning:61% | % STEM Degrees:14% |
| Rank:20 | School Name: Belmont Abbey College | School Type:Private School, Religious | Early Career Pay:$50,400 | Mid-Career Pay:$81,400 | % High Meaning:52% | % STEM Degrees:7% |
| Rank:21 | School Name:Bennett College | School Type:Private School, Religious | Early Career Pay:$45,700 | Mid-Career Pay:$81,000 | % High Meaning:- | % STEM Degrees:38% |
| Rank:22 | School Name: Wingate University | School Type:Private School | Early Career Pay:$44,500 | Mid-Career Pay:$80,900 | % High Meaning:54% | % STEM Degrees:12% |
| Rank:23 | School Name: Catawba College | School Type:Private School | Early Career Pay:$45,100 | Mid-Career Pay:$80,100 | % High Meaning:57% | % STEM Degrees:7% |
| Rank:24 | School Name: Guilford College | School Type:Liberal Arts School, Private School, Religious | Early Career Pay:$46,300 | Mid-Career Pay:$79,800 | % High Meaning:50% | % STEM Degrees:14% |
| Rank:25 | School Name: Meredith College | School Type:Liberal Arts School, Private School | Early Career Pay:$47,900 | Mid-Career Pay:$79,600 | % High Meaning:50% | % STEM Degrees:11% |
some of the best colleges inNorth Carolina are well known for schools like North Carolina State University, Duke University and the University of North Carolina. The top employers and jobs in the state are in medical fields, but many graduates who stay in state go on to work for University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Wells Fargo or Merrill Lynch and Co. Inc., among others.
North Carolina State University is the alma mater of stand-up comedian Zach Galifianakis.
A Famous Rivalry: Duke vs. UNC
Duke’s Blue Devils and UNC Chapel Hill’s Tar Heels compete in just about every arena, and they have a sports rivalry that is as passionate as it is old. But Duke’s alumni earn more than graduates of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in both early career and mid-career salary rankings. Michael Jordan and Andy Griffith are both UNC alumni.