What college costs in North Carolina
We have federal cost data for 57 four-year colleges in North Carolina: 16 public and 41 private. For 2024–25, the median cost of attendance was $23,147 at public colleges (in-state) and $47,133 at private colleges. The median average net price, what students who got federal aid actually paid, was $18,853. Colleges are sorted by average net price.
North Carolina state financial aid
- State Higher Education Agency: College Foundation of North Carolina
Source: U.S. Department of Education state contacts. State grants usually require state residency and the FAFSA.
| College | Cost of attendance | Avg net price | Net price, income under $30k |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elizabeth City State UniversityElizabeth City | $17,701 | $6,364 | $4,246 |
| Fayetteville State UniversityFayetteville | $16,652 | $7,892 | $6,233 |
| University of North Carolina at PembrokePembroke | $17,261 | $10,260 | $7,919 |
| North Carolina A & T State UniversityGreensboro | $20,427 | $10,846 | $8,223 |
| University of North Carolina at GreensboroGreensboro | $21,373 | $10,965 | $7,305 |
| University of North Carolina at Chapel HillChapel Hill | $26,055 | $11,655 | $2,004 |
| University of North Carolina AshevilleAsheville | $21,685 | $12,250 | $8,219 |
| Western Carolina UniversityCullowhee | $19,992 | $13,315 | $8,816 |
| Winston-Salem State UniversityWinston-Salem | $23,147 | $13,479 | $11,463 |
| University of North Carolina School of the ArtsWinston Salem | $26,470 | $14,906 | $3,165 |
| North Carolina Central UniversityDurham | $26,556 | $15,359 | $13,032 |
| University of North Carolina at CharlotteCharlotte | $23,010 | $15,435 | $10,357 |
| East Carolina UniversityGreenville | $23,867 | $15,739 | $10,046 |
| Appalachian State UniversityBoone | $23,169 | $16,836 | $9,325 |
| North Carolina State University at RaleighRaleigh | $26,425 | $17,303 | $6,382 |
| University of North Carolina WilmingtonWilmington | $26,547 | $20,109 | $10,778 |
| College | Cost of attendance | Avg net price | Net price, income under $30k |
|---|---|---|---|
| Southeastern Free Will Baptist Bible CollegeWendell | $21,203 | $12,602 | $11,086 |
| Southeastern Baptist Theological SeminaryWake Forest | $22,632 | $13,090 | $18,587 |
| Livingstone CollegeSalisbury | $28,305 | $13,479 | $13,860 |
| Chowan UniversityMurfreesboro | $39,027 | $14,086 | $13,726 |
| Shaw UniversityRaleigh | $30,861 | $16,512 | $16,236 |
| Davidson CollegeDavidson | $79,475 | $17,379 | $9,497 |
| North Carolina Wesleyan UniversityRocky Mount | $49,974 | $17,432 | $16,114 |
| Gardner-Webb UniversityBoiling Springs | $47,091 | $17,674 | $15,304 |
| Catawba CollegeSalisbury | $49,516 | $17,879 | $13,618 |
| Greensboro CollegeGreensboro | $35,165 | $17,882 | $13,877 |
| Salem CollegeWinston-Salem | $48,532 | $18,277 | $19,074 |
| Mid-Atlantic Christian UniversityElizabeth City | $33,011 | $18,328 | $17,512 |
| Heritage Bible CollegeDunn | $24,868 | $18,684 | $17,274 |
| University of Mount OliveMount Olive | $38,569 | $18,853 | $18,227 |
| Pfeiffer UniversityMisenheimer | $45,542 | $19,076 | $16,167 |
| Mars Hill UniversityMars Hill | $50,099 | $19,910 | $17,021 |
| Lenoir-Rhyne UniversityHickory | $44,621 | $20,689 | $18,669 |
| Wingate UniversityWingate | $57,473 | $20,748 | $18,772 |
| Carolina UniversityWinston-Salem | $32,680 | $20,828 | $17,738 |
| Johnson C Smith UniversityCharlotte | $34,923 | $20,894 | $19,940 |
| Warren Wilson CollegeSwannanoa | $56,966 | $21,249 | $13,566 |
| Carolina College of Biblical StudiesFayetteville | $24,267 | $21,322 | $21,322 |
| William Peace UniversityRaleigh | $49,362 | $21,649 | $15,779 |
| Guilford CollegeGreensboro | $55,689 | $22,270 | $18,367 |
| Carolina Christian CollegeWinston Salem | $28,817 | $22,366 | n/a |
| Meredith CollegeRaleigh | $57,313 | $22,488 | $17,207 |
| Brevard CollegeBrevard | $47,288 | $23,509 | $19,294 |
| Barton CollegeWilson | $51,935 | $23,626 | $19,641 |
| Saint Augustine's UniversityRaleigh | $33,179 | $24,313 | $27,815 |
| Campbell UniversityBuies Creek | $62,187 | $24,516 | $20,751 |
| Belmont Abbey CollegeBelmont | $34,788 | $24,639 | $20,610 |
| Methodist UniversityFayetteville | $55,796 | $24,704 | $20,371 |
| Montreat CollegeMontreat | $47,133 | $27,061 | $23,261 |
| Bennett CollegeGreensboro | $41,296 | $28,299 | $27,576 |
| Lees-McRae CollegeBanner Elk | $49,498 | $28,340 | $23,030 |
| Wake Forest UniversityWinston-Salem | $87,499 | $28,719 | $6,525 |
| Duke UniversityDurham | $87,072 | $29,612 | $735 |
| Queens University of CharlotteCharlotte | $65,742 | $30,857 | $22,792 |
| Chamberlain University-North CarolinaCharlotte | $42,634 | $38,436 | $34,239 |
| High Point UniversityHigh Point | $65,548 | $38,707 | $32,763 |
| Elon UniversityElon | $62,266 | $41,555 | $26,523 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, cost of attendance 2024–25. Net price covers first-time, full-time students who received federal aid; it doesn't apply to international students. Public costs are in-state. Colleges with too little reported data are left out.