Wilmington, North Carolina Colleges: Costs & Earnings (2026 stats)
Executive Summary (TL;DR)
Colleges in Wilmington, North Carolina: median public in-state tuition $5,019 (-11.9% vs national median) median 10-year earnings $61,019 (+2.7% vs U.S.) employment-outcome proxy 92.9% working & not enrolled at 8 years median graduate debt $9,500 (-29.6% vs U.S.) 24,818 students enrolled statewide.
Overview
Colleges and universities in Wilmington serve students across North Carolina with associate, bachelor's, and graduate pathways. 3 reporting campuses in this city profile, with about 24,818 students enrolled in federal data, and median in-state tuition near $5,019. Tables below compare costs, completion, earnings, and standout institutions against Wilmington, North Carolina and U.S. medians from the College Scorecard.
Wilmington 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wilmington, North Carolina | $5,019 | $16,961 | $9,500 | 71.6% | 24,818 |
| North Carolina (state median) | $2,630 | $6,250 | $19,500 | 50.0% | 421,744 |
| United States | $5,700 | $9,912 | $13,500 | 49.3% | 14,465,291 |
Earnings & employment outcomes: Wilmington, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wilmington, North Carolina | $61,019 | 92.9% | 88.2% | 5.8% | — | 68.8% | 0.30 |
| North Carolina (state median) | $52,995 | 92.8% | 73.1% | 6.8% | — | 64.8% | 0.43 |
| United States | $59,401 | 93.0% | 76.4% | 5.0% | — | 73.8% | 0.36 |
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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wilmington, North Carolina | $5,019 | $16,961 | $9,500 | 71.6% | 24,818 | $61,019 | 92.9% |
| Raleigh | $17,690 | $22,902 | $15,222 | 48.6% | 52,098 | $51,143 | 92.9% |
| Charlotte | $20,498 | $25,854 | $19,500 | 48.3% | 44,804 | $61,111 | 92.9% |
| Greensboro | $18,484 | $17,194 | $22,660 | 42.3% | 31,003 | $50,279 | 92.5% |
| Chapel Hill | $9,095 | $14,602 | $9,210 | 91.1% | 20,950 | $81,094 | 93.8% |
| Greenville | $7,438 | $15,916 | $14,625 | 63.4% | 19,951 | $60,387 | 94.3% |
| Greenville | $7,438 | $15,916 | $14,625 | 63.4% | 19,951 | $60,387 | 94.3% |
| Greenville | $7,438 | $15,916 | $14,625 | 63.4% | 19,951 | $60,387 | 94.3% |
| Winston-Salem | $19,775 | $14,797 | $19,500 | 39.4% | 17,760 | $51,646 | 93.1% |
| United States | $5,700 | $9,912 | $13,500 | 49.3% | 14,465,291 | $59,401 | 93.0% |
Top college in Wilmington, 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, 71.6%, University of North Carolina Wilmington
University of North Carolina Wilmington
Top college in Wilmington, 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, 92.9%, University of North Carolina Wilmington
University of North Carolina Wilmington
Most selective college in Wilmington, 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, 64.2%, University of North Carolina Wilmington
University of North Carolina Wilmington
Top college in Wilmington, 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, $80,708, University of North Carolina Wilmington
University of North Carolina Wilmington
Top college in Wilmington, 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, $88,219, University of North Carolina Wilmington
University of North Carolina Wilmington
Top college in Wilmington, 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, $52,318, University of North Carolina Wilmington
University of North Carolina Wilmington
Top college in Wilmington, 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, $57,908, University of North Carolina Wilmington
University of North Carolina Wilmington
Top college in Wilmington, 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, $61,019, University of North Carolina Wilmington
University of North Carolina Wilmington
Top college in Wilmington, 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, $187,972, University of North Carolina Wilmington
University of North Carolina Wilmington
Most affordable college in Wilmington, 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, $19,570, University of North Carolina Wilmington
University of North Carolina Wilmington
Top college in Wilmington, 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, 88.2%, University of North Carolina Wilmington
University of North Carolina Wilmington
In-state tuition: Wilmington, North Carolina vs benchmarks
Sticker price
Wilmington, North Carolina median in-state tuition is $5,019, -11.9% vs the U.S. median.
Student debt: Wilmington, North Carolina vs benchmarks
Borrowing
Median debt at graduation in Wilmington, North Carolina is $9,500 (-29.6% vs U.S. median $13,500). Regional median: $15,558.
Median earnings (10 years out): Wilmington, North Carolina vs benchmarks
Payoff
Median earnings 10 years after entry for bachelor's-predominant campuses in Wilmington, North Carolina center around $61,019 (+2.7% vs U.S.).
Median institution-level 10-year earnings. Source: College Scorecard.
Employment outcome proxy: Wilmington, 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 92.9% at the median Wilmington, North Carolina campus (-0.1 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
Wilmington, North Carolina median public in-state tuition is $5,019, about -11.9% vs the national median. Versus the Southeast region, tuition is -2.7%.
Median graduate debt is $9,500 (-29.6% below the U.S. median of $13,500). 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 Wilmington, North Carolina are $61,019, about +2.7% vs the U.S. campus median ($59,401).
The median campus reports 92.9% of its 8-year cohort as working and not enrolled—our closest federal proxy to a placement rate. The U.S. campus median is 93.0% (-0.1 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 88.2% vs a U.S. median of 76.4%—a leading indicator for completion and time-to-degree.
Loan repayment indicators at the median campus: 2-yr default 5.8% (U.S. 5.0%); 3-yr repayment progress 68.8% (U.S. 73.8%). 3-yr default is omitted when most campuses report suppressed zeros.
Top employment-outcome campuses in this extract include University of North Carolina Wilmington (92.9%)—useful anchors for local reporting on where graduates are most often working rather than still enrolled.
Completion & workforce context
Average institution-level completion rate across all sectors in Wilmington, North Carolina is 71.6% (national institution average about 49.3%).
Frequently Asked Questions
How many colleges are in Wilmington?
This city profile covers 3 campuses in Wilmington, North Carolina with College Scorecard cost or outcomes data.
How much does college cost in Wilmington?
Median in-state tuition in Wilmington is $5,019 and median net price is $16,961. For North Carolina overall, medians are $2,630 and $6,250; U.S. medians are $5,700 and $9,912.
What do graduates earn in Wilmington?
Median 10-year earnings for campuses in Wilmington is $61,019 vs $52,995 for North Carolina and $59,401 nationally.
What is student debt like for Wilmington colleges?
Median completer debt in Wilmington is $9,500 vs $19,500 for North Carolina and $13,500 nationally.
What are the best colleges in Wilmington?
Top campuses on this page include University of North Carolina Wilmington (graduation) and University of North Carolina Wilmington (10-yr earnings). See Top 10 lists for admission, affordability, and employment metrics.
Are there HBCUs, Hispanic-serving, tribal, or religious colleges in Wilmington?
Among 3 College Scorecard campuses in Wilmington, North Carolina, none are flagged as HBCUs or tribal colleges in IPEDS, none report at least 25% Hispanic undergraduate enrollment, and none report a religious affiliation in IPEDS.
Sources & related
- North Carolina college profile
- All college profiles
- National benchmarks
- U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard
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