Raleigh, North Carolina Colleges: Costs & Earnings (2026 stats)
TL;DR
EDsmart Data analysis of 2024 College Scorecard data for Raleigh, North Carolina shows: median public in-state tuition $17,217 (+212.3% vs national median) median 10-year earnings $49,091 (-9.6% vs U.S.) employment-outcome proxy 85.2% working & not enrolled at 8 years median graduate debt $20,000 (+48.9% vs U.S.) 52,098 students enrolled statewide.
Key Facts
- Institutions in this profile: 12 campuses
- Total college enrollment: 52,098 students
- Median public in-state tuition: $17,217 (+212.3% vs U.S.)
- Median earnings 10 years after entry: $49,091 (-9.6% vs U.S.)
- Working & not enrolled (8-yr cohort proxy): 85.2% (-2.7 pp vs U.S.)
- Median net price: $22,068 (+121.4% vs U.S.)
- Median student debt at graduation: $20,000 (+48.9% vs U.S. $13,432); regional median $14,173
- Average completion rate (institutions in state): 44.8%
- Median first-year retention (full-time, 4-yr): 76.5%
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Overview
EDsmart Data summarizes higher-education outcomes for campuses in Raleigh, North Carolina—costs, debt, enrollment, completion, earnings, and standout institutions—against North Carolina and U.S. medians from the College Scorecard.
Raleigh vs North Carolina & national benchmarks
Medians aggregate institution-level College Scorecard fields unless noted. Enrollment is total undergraduate headcount summed across reporting campuses.
| Geography | In-state tuition | Net price | Median debt | Completion rate | Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Raleigh, North Carolina | $17,217 | $22,068 | $20,000 | 44.8% | 52,098 |
| North Carolina (state median) | $2,613 | $6,820 | $20,000 | 51.2% | 422,418 |
| United States | $5,512 | $9,967 | $13,432 | 50.3% | 14,484,370 |
Earnings & employment outcomes: Raleigh, North Carolina vs benchmarks
Scorecard does not publish formal job-placement rates. We use the share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled (working ÷ working + not working) as a federal employment-outcome proxy. 2-yr and 3-yr default rates are federal cohort default shares (0–1 scale). We show 2-yr default as the primary benchmark; 3-yr default appears only when enough campuses report non-suppressed values (otherwise —). 3-yr repayment progress is the share of completers making progress on loans after 3 years. Sample: bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 200. Medians pool campus-level values.
| Geography | Median earnings (10 yr) | Working & not enrolled (8 yr) | Retention (FT yr 1) | 2-yr default | 3-yr default | 3-yr repayment progress | Debt ÷ earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Raleigh, North Carolina | $49,091 | 85.2% | 76.5% | 5.2% | — | 67.8% | 0.48 |
| North Carolina (state median) | $47,139 | 86.0% | 72.7% | 6.8% | — | 64.7% | 0.54 |
| United States | $54,323 | 87.9% | 76.3% | 5.0% | — | 73.7% | 0.41 |
Other cities in North Carolina (3+ campuses)
Other cities in the same state with at least three reporting campuses.
| City | In-state tuition | Net price | Median debt | Completion | Enrollment | Earnings (10 yr) | Working (8 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Raleigh, North Carolina | $17,217 | $22,068 | $20,000 | 44.8% | 52,098 | $49,091 | 85.2% |
| Charlotte | $18,882 | $21,964 | $18,000 | 61.3% | 44,804 | $57,481 | 84.7% |
| Greensboro | $18,484 | $16,932 | $25,804 | 46.0% | 31,003 | $46,566 | 85.7% |
| Wilmington | $5,012 | $21,215 | $12,708 | 37.9% | 24,864 | $54,967 | 85.0% |
| Wilmington | $5,012 | $21,215 | $12,708 | 37.9% | 24,864 | $54,967 | 85.0% |
| Winston-Salem | $17,575 | $16,503 | $20,894 | 52.1% | 17,760 | $44,992 | 82.9% |
| Fayetteville | $6,906 | $19,909 | $15,917 | 41.0% | 17,539 | $44,097 | 83.0% |
| Fayetteville | $6,906 | $19,909 | $15,917 | 41.0% | 17,539 | $44,097 | 83.0% |
| Durham | $6,699 | $13,589 | $13,875 | 69.2% | 16,578 | $70,384 | 85.3% |
| United States | $5,512 | $9,967 | $13,432 | 50.3% | 14,484,370 | $54,323 | 87.9% |
Outcomes by sector in Raleigh, North Carolina
Median campus-level metrics within each ownership type (public, private nonprofit, private for-profit).
| Sector | Campuses | Median earnings (10 yr) | Working share (8 yr) | Retention | 2-yr default | 3-yr default | 3-yr repayment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Private nonprofit | 3 | $46,643 | 83.1% | 73.6% | 7.2% | — | 61.4% |
Top 10 colleges in Raleigh, North Carolina by graduation rate (150% time)
Ranked by 150% time completion rate (4-year bachelor's-predominant institutions, enrollment ≥ 500). Higher rate = more students finishing within 150% of normal time.
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Rank 1, Graduation Rate, 84.8%, North Carolina State University at Raleigh
North Carolina State University at Raleigh
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Rank 2, Graduation Rate, 70.1%, Meredith College
Meredith College
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Rank 3, Graduation Rate, 44.8%, William Peace University
William Peace University
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Rank 4, Graduation Rate, 21.8%, Shaw University
Shaw University
Top 10 colleges in Raleigh, North Carolina by employment outcome (8 yrs after entry, working & not enrolled)
Ranked by share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled — a federal outcome proxy, not a verified job-placement rate. Enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, Employment Outcome, 88.2%, North Carolina State University at Raleigh
North Carolina State University at Raleigh
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Rank 2, Employment Outcome, 87.3%, Meredith College
Meredith College
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Rank 3, Employment Outcome, 83.1%, William Peace University
William Peace University
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Rank 4, Employment Outcome, 82.4%, Shaw University
Shaw University
Top 10 most selective colleges in Raleigh, North Carolina (lowest admission rate)
Ranked by lowest admission rate (most selective first). Bachelor's-predominant four-year institutions with enrollment ≥ 500 and a reported admission rate.
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Rank 1, Admission Rate, 41.7%, North Carolina State University at Raleigh
North Carolina State University at Raleigh
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Rank 2, Admission Rate, 74.2%, Meredith College
Meredith College
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Rank 3, Admission Rate, 80.2%, Shaw University
Shaw University
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Rank 4, Admission Rate, 94.2%, William Peace University
William Peace University
Top 10 colleges in Raleigh, North Carolina by entry-level earnings (1 yr post-completion, program)
Ranked by median program-level earnings one year after completion (highest first). Enrollment ≥ 300; reflects completers in reported CIP programs, not all entrants.
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Rank 1, Entry-Level Earnings, $85,809, North Carolina State University at Raleigh
North Carolina State University at Raleigh
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Rank 2, Entry-Level Earnings, $50,635, Meredith College
Meredith College
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Rank 3, Entry-Level Earnings, $47,278, William Peace University
William Peace University
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Rank 4, Entry-Level Earnings, $34,652, Shaw University
Shaw University
Top 10 colleges in Raleigh, North Carolina by early-career earnings (4 yr post-completion, program)
Ranked by median program-level earnings four years after completion (highest first). Enrollment ≥ 300; program cohort, not institution-wide median.
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Rank 1, Early-Career Earnings, $113,478, North Carolina State University at Raleigh
North Carolina State University at Raleigh
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Rank 2, Early-Career Earnings, $60,289, William Peace University
William Peace University
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Rank 3, Early-Career Earnings, $60,099, Meredith College
Meredith College
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Rank 4, Early-Career Earnings, $47,401, Shaw University
Shaw University
Top 10 colleges in Raleigh, North Carolina by mid-career earnings (6 yrs after entry)
Ranked by median earnings six years after entry (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, Mid-Career Earnings, $57,623, North Carolina State University at Raleigh
North Carolina State University at Raleigh
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Rank 2, Mid-Career Earnings, $45,293, Meredith College
Meredith College
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Rank 3, Mid-Career Earnings, $39,738, William Peace University
William Peace University
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Rank 4, Mid-Career Earnings, $26,148, Shaw University
Shaw University
Top 10 colleges in Raleigh, North Carolina by 8-year earnings (8 yrs after entry)
Ranked by median earnings eight years after entry (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, 8-Yr Earnings, $65,113, North Carolina State University at Raleigh
North Carolina State University at Raleigh
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Rank 2, 8-Yr Earnings, $46,864, Meredith College
Meredith College
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Rank 3, 8-Yr Earnings, $41,665, William Peace University
William Peace University
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Rank 4, 8-Yr Earnings, $31,522, Shaw University
Shaw University
Top 10 colleges in Raleigh, North Carolina by long-term earnings (10 yrs after entry)
Ranked by median earnings ten years after entry (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, 10-Yr Earnings, $68,758, North Carolina State University at Raleigh
North Carolina State University at Raleigh
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Rank 2, 10-Yr Earnings, $51,539, Meredith College
Meredith College
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Rank 3, 10-Yr Earnings, $46,643, William Peace University
William Peace University
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Rank 4, 10-Yr Earnings, $34,409, Shaw University
Shaw University
Top 10 colleges in Raleigh, North Carolina by 10-year ROI
Ranked by 10-year return on investment (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 200 and a computed ROI in the EDsmart dataset.
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Rank 1, 10-Yr ROI, $235,142, North Carolina State University at Raleigh
North Carolina State University at Raleigh
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Rank 2, 10-Yr ROI, $137,991, Meredith College
Meredith College
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Rank 3, 10-Yr ROI, $104,262, William Peace University
William Peace University
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Rank 4, 10-Yr ROI, $83,464, Shaw University
Shaw University
Top 10 most affordable colleges in Raleigh, North Carolina (net price)
Ranked by lowest average net price (most affordable first). Uses overall net price, or mid-income bracket net price for public schools when available. Enrollment ≥ 300.
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Rank 1, Net Price, $17,303, North Carolina State University at Raleigh
North Carolina State University at Raleigh
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Rank 2, Net Price, $16,512, Shaw University
Shaw University
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Rank 3, Net Price, $21,649, William Peace University
William Peace University
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Rank 4, Net Price, $22,488, Meredith College
Meredith College
Top 10 colleges in Raleigh, North Carolina by first-year retention (full-time)
Ranked by first-year, full-time retention rate (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant four-year institutions with enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, First-Year Retention, 94.5%, North Carolina State University at Raleigh
North Carolina State University at Raleigh
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Rank 2, First-Year Retention, 79.4%, Meredith College
Meredith College
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Rank 3, First-Year Retention, 73.6%, William Peace University
William Peace University
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Rank 4, First-Year Retention, 51.6%, Shaw University
Shaw University
In-state tuition: Raleigh, North Carolina vs benchmarks
Sticker price
Raleigh, North Carolina median in-state tuition is $17,217, +212.3% vs the U.S. median.
Student debt: Raleigh, North Carolina vs benchmarks
Borrowing
Median debt at graduation in Raleigh, North Carolina is $20,000 (+48.9% vs U.S. median $13,432). Regional median: $14,173.
Median earnings (10 years out): Raleigh, North Carolina vs benchmarks
Payoff
Median earnings 10 years after entry for bachelor's-predominant campuses in Raleigh, North Carolina center around $49,091 (-9.6% vs U.S.).
Median institution-level 10-year earnings. Source: College Scorecard.
Employment outcome proxy: Raleigh, North Carolina vs benchmarks
Working & not enrolled
The share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled—our Scorecard employment proxy—is 85.2% at the median Raleigh, North Carolina campus (-2.7 pp vs U.S.).
Percent of 8-year cohort working and not enrolled (not a formal placement rate).
Analysis & insights
EDsmart Data aggregates institution-level College Scorecard data for this profile. Highlights below compare local medians to U.S. and regional benchmarks.
Costs & borrowing
Raleigh, North Carolina median public in-state tuition is $17,217, about +212.3% vs the national median. Versus the Southeast region, tuition is +244.9%.
Median graduate debt is $20,000 (+48.9% above the U.S. median of $13,432). Low sticker prices do not always mean low borrowing—living costs, time-to-degree, and aid mix matter.
Earnings, employment & retention
Among bachelor's-predominant campuses with ≥200 students, median 10-year earnings in Raleigh, North Carolina are $49,091, about -9.6% vs the U.S. campus median ($54,323).
The median campus reports 85.2% of its 8-year cohort as working and not enrolled—our closest federal proxy to a placement rate. The U.S. campus median is 87.9% (-2.7 pp). Formal job-placement statistics are not published in Scorecard; treat this as a comparative outcome indicator, not a hire guarantee.
First-year, full-time retention at the median campus is 76.5% vs a U.S. median of 76.3%—a leading indicator for completion and time-to-degree.
Loan repayment indicators at the median campus: 2-yr default 5.2% (U.S. 5.0%); 3-yr repayment progress 67.8% (U.S. 73.7%). 3-yr default is omitted when most campuses report suppressed zeros.
Top employment-outcome campuses in this extract include North Carolina State University at Raleigh (88.2%), Meredith College (87.3%), William Peace University (83.1%), Shaw University (82.4%)—useful anchors for local reporting on where graduates are most often working rather than still enrolled.
Completion & workforce context
Within Raleigh, North Carolina, sector medians diverge: Private nonprofit median 10-yr earnings $46,643 (3 campuses). Public campuses often dominate enrollment while private nonprofits can show higher earnings medians at selective institutions.
Average institution-level completion rate across all sectors in Raleigh, North Carolina is 44.8% (national institution average about 50.3%).
FAQ
How many colleges are in Raleigh?
EDsmart Data analysis: this city profile covers 12 campuses in Raleigh, North Carolina with College Scorecard cost or outcomes data.
How much does college cost in Raleigh?
EDsmart Data analysis: median in-state tuition in Raleigh is $17,217 and median net price is $22,068. For North Carolina overall, medians are $2,613 and $6,820; U.S. medians are $5,512 and $9,967.
What do graduates earn in Raleigh?
EDsmart Data analysis: median 10-year earnings for campuses in Raleigh is $49,091 vs $47,139 for North Carolina and $54,323 nationally.
What is student debt like for Raleigh colleges?
EDsmart Data analysis: median completer debt in Raleigh is $20,000 vs $20,000 for North Carolina and $13,432 nationally.
What are the best colleges in Raleigh?
EDsmart Data analysis: top campuses on this page include North Carolina State University at Raleigh (graduation) and North Carolina State University at Raleigh (10-yr earnings). See Top 10 lists for admission, affordability, and employment metrics.
Are there HBCUs, Hispanic-serving, tribal, or religious colleges in Raleigh?
EDsmart Data analysis: among 12 campuses in Raleigh, North Carolina, 2 historically Black colleges or universities (HBCUs, IPEDS HBCU flag), including Saint Augustine's University and Shaw University; 3 religiously affiliated private nonprofit campuses (IPEDS RELAFFIL); most common affiliations: Presbyterian Church (USA) (1), Protestant Episcopal (1), Baptist (1).
Sources & related
- North Carolina college profile
- All college profiles
- National benchmarks
- U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard
- Download: JSON