Data shows that students paid $10,757 on average to attend higher education courses at the time, $313 more than the previous school year.
Among the 152 institutions providing full disclosure in the state, Duke University stood out with the highest tuition fees, reaching an average of $62,688. Wake Forest University followed with an average of $62,128 per year. Pamlico Community College students were offered the lowest annual tuition fees at $1,867.
Currently there are 153 higher education institutions in North Carolina.
At the time, at least $643.2 million in grants or scholarships were awarded to full-time undergraduates who started college in North Carolina. Additionally, federal student loans reached more than $211.2 million.
Undergraduate education costs have seen a significant increase over the past few decades. Data shows a 169% rise in the average total cost, including tuition, fees, room, and board, between 1980 and 2020.
According to a 2023 College Board report, in-state students at public universities paid an average of $11,260, while out-of-state students paid $29,150 in the 2023-24 academic year.
Meanwhile, student loan debt has steadily increased over the last 30 years, reaching $1.75 trillion in 2024, averaging a total of $28,950 per borrower. Federal loans make up 92% of the debt, with over half of students at both public and private four-year colleges graduating with student loans.
Of the 153 institutions in North Carolina, Watts College of Nursing did not provide detailed data on tuition fees.
Available data sometimes exceeds 100% due to rounding and administrative calculations.
Average Tuition Fees in North Carolina Universities in 2022-23 School Year
| Institution | Average Tuition Fees | Total Enrollment |
|---|---|---|
| Duke University | $62,688 | 6,640 |
| Wake Forest University | $62,128 | 5,447 |
| Davidson College | $57,340 | 1,927 |
| NASCAR Technical Institute | $46,900 | 1,274 |
| Lenoir-Rhyne University | $43,000 | 1,529 |
| Meredith College | $42,540 | 1,322 |
| Elon University | $42,241 | 6,337 |
| High Point University | $41,916 | 5,036 |
| Guilford College | $41,140 | 1,129 |
| Queens University of Charlotte | $40,830 | 1,317 |
| Wingate University | $40,806 | 2,510 |
| Campbell University | $39,230 | 2,965 |
| Warren Wilson College | $38,450 | 723 |
| Johnson & Wales University-Charlotte | $38,442 | 1,140 |
| Methodist University | $38,138 | 1,448 |
| Mars Hill University | $36,557 | 994 |
| Barton College | $34,400 | 1,187 |
| North Carolina Wesleyan University | $34,352 | 1,249 |
| Pfeiffer University | $33,290 | 683 |
| William Peace University | $33,050 | 713 |
| Catawba College | $32,868 | 1,094 |
| Gardner-Webb University | $32,200 | 1,812 |
| Salem College | $31,016 | 364 |
| Montreat College | $30,525 | 820 |
| Brevard College | $30,250 | 735 |
| St. Andrews University | $29,600 | 780 |
| Lees-McRae College | $28,840 | 855 |
| Chowan University | $25,880 | 800 |
| Miller-Motte College-Wilmington | $25,240 | 517 |
| Miller-Motte College-Jacksonville | $25,240 | 157 |
| Miller-Motte College-Raleigh | $25,240 | 166 |
| University of Mount Olive | $23,591 | 2,019 |
| Aveda Institute-Chapel Hill | $22,989 | 208 |
| Louisburg College | $21,880 | 434 |
| Pinnacle Institute of Cosmetology | $20,125 | 43 |
| Chamberlain University-North Carolina | $19,629 | 268 |
| Greensboro College | $19,620 | 730 |
| Johnson C Smith University | $19,504 | 1,052 |
| South University-High Point | $19,354 | 47 |
| Paul Mitchell the School-Gastonia | $19,350 | 272 |
| Empire Beauty School-Concord | $19,260 | 114 |
| Empire Beauty School-Winston-Salem | $19,260 | 57 |
| Empire Beauty School-West Greensboro | $19,260 | 104 |
| Empire Beauty School-Pineville | $19,260 | 73 |
| Empire Beauty School-Charlotte | $19,260 | 96 |
| University of North Carolina School of the Arts | $18,821 | 920 |
| Bennett College | $18,550 | 168 |
| Belmont Abbey College | $18,500 | 1,475 |
| Livingstone College | $18,296 | 839 |
| No Grease Barber School | $18,272 | 24 |
| Carolina College of Hair Design Inc | $18,045 | 42 |
| Paul Mitchell the School-Raleigh | $17,218 | 153 |
| College of Wilmington | $17,178 | 152 |
| Mid-Atlantic Christian University | $17,040 | 133 |
| Beyond Measure Barbering Institute | $16,950 | 61 |
| Saint Augustine's University | $16,896 | 1,085 |
| Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Charlotte | $16,657 | 169 |
| Paul Mitchell the School-Fayetteville | $16,575 | 186 |
| Shaw University | $16,480 | 924 |
| Carolinas College of Health Sciences | $16,179 | 409 |
| Mitchells Academy | $15,900 | 6 |
| MyComputerCareer at Raleigh | $15,771 | 1,251 |
| Bull City Durham Beauty and Barber College | $15,735 | 9 |
| Cabarrus College of Health Sciences | $15,560 | 451 |
| Elevate Salon Institute | $15,500 | 95 |
| Alexander Paul Institute of Hair Design | $15,405 | 51 |
| Carolina University | $15,050 | 350 |
| Gwinnett College | $14,908 | 142 |
| Charlotte Christian College and Theological Seminary | $13,923 | 44 |
| Strayer University-North Carolina | $13,515 | 2,646 |
| University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | $12,597 | 20,029 |
| North Carolina A & T State University | $12,385 | 11,833 |
| North Carolina State University at Raleigh | $12,266 | 26,254 |
| Winston Salem Barber School | $11,825 | 44 |
| Southeastern Free Will Baptist Bible College | $10,690 | 74 |
| North Carolina Central University | $10,621 | 5,634 |
| Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary | $10,234 | 679 |
| University of North Carolina Asheville | $10,212 | 2,914 |
| University of North Carolina Wilmington | $10,044 | 14,294 |
| East Carolina University | $9,816 | 21,688 |
| Appalachian State University | $9,531 | 18,558 |
| Carolina Christian College | $8,930 | 47 |
| University of North Carolina at Greensboro | $8,426 | 14,198 |
| University of North Carolina at Charlotte | $8,379 | 23,461 |
| Heritage Bible College | $8,328 | 26 |
| Leons Beauty School Inc | $8,300 | 105 |
| Center for Massage | $8,245 | 49 |
| Winston-Salem State University | $8,016 | 4,513 |
| Manna University | $6,863 | 191 |
| Carolina College of Biblical Studies | $6,276 | 112 |
| Western Carolina University | $5,188 | 9,956 |
| Miller-Motte College-Fayetteville | $5,000 | 191 |
| Elizabeth City State University | $4,676 | 2,033 |
| Fayetteville State University | $4,406 | 5,748 |
| University of North Carolina at Pembroke | $3,930 | 5,643 |
| Coastal Carolina Community College | $3,261 | 3,611 |
| Gaston College | $3,247 | 5,558 |
| Cleveland Community College | $3,155 | 1,946 |
| Wilson Community College | $3,004 | 1,779 |
| Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College | $2,955 | 6,473 |
| Central Piedmont Community College | $2,924 | 17,694 |
| Surry Community College | $2,909 | 2,797 |
| Sampson Community College | $2,899 | 1,590 |
| Fayetteville Technical Community College | $2,871 | 10,233 |
| Cape Fear Community College | $2,871 | 14,170 |
| Brunswick Community College | $2,839 | 1,678 |
| Nash Community College | $2,834 | 2,645 |
| Wake Technical Community College | $2,831 | 21,551 |
| Sandhills Community College | $2,826 | 3,778 |
| Piedmont Community College | $2,802 | 1,150 |
| Stanly Community College | $2,794 | 2,319 |
| Wayne Community College | $2,770 | 2,732 |
| Lenoir Community College | $2,752 | 2,199 |
| Halifax Community College | $2,731 | 995 |
| Mitchell Community College | $2,712 | 3,456 |
| Blue Ridge Community College | $2,709 | 2,794 |
| Carteret Community College | $2,671 | 1,554 |
| Tri-County Community College | $2,670 | 888 |
| Southeastern Community College | $2,661 | 1,228 |
| Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute | $2,660 | 3,703 |
| Richmond Community College | $2,659 | 2,290 |
| Johnston Community College | $2,657 | 4,282 |
| Roanoke-Chowan Community College | $2,642 | 569 |
| Western Piedmont Community College | $2,641 | 1,749 |
| Haywood Community College | $2,641 | 1,286 |
| Edgecombe Community College | $2,640 | 1,313 |
| Central Carolina Community College | $2,615 | 5,231 |
| Beaufort County Community College | $2,579 | 1,741 |
| Wilkes Community College | $2,572 | 2,321 |
| James Sprunt Community College | $2,570 | 1,359 |
| Robeson Community College | $2,563 | 1,901 |
| Mayland Community College | $2,560 | 783 |
| Bladen Community College | $2,558 | 978 |
| Montgomery Community College | $2,538 | 702 |
| Catawba Valley Community College | $2,421 | 4,172 |
| Randolph Community College | $2,416 | 2,469 |
| Southwestern Community College | $2,379 | 2,256 |
| Guilford Technical Community College | $2,373 | 10,067 |
| College of the Albemarle | $2,362 | 2,314 |
| Forsyth Technical Community College | $2,252 | 8,270 |
| Craven Community College | $2,121 | 2,701 |
| Isothermal Community College | $2,076 | 1,876 |
| Rowan-Cabarrus Community College | $2,070 | 6,754 |
| Pitt Community College | $2,032 | 7,144 |
| Davidson-Davie Community College | $2,025 | 3,921 |
| South Piedmont Community College | $2,015 | 3,338 |
| Durham Technical Community College | $2,005 | 4,294 |
| Rockingham Community College | $1,966 | 1,712 |
| McDowell Technical Community College | $1,958 | 1,100 |
| Vance-Granville Community College | $1,944 | 2,814 |
| Martin Community College | $1,915 | 842 |
| Pamlico Community College | $1,867 | 329 |
ORGANIZATIONS IN THIS STORY
Roanoke-Chowan Community College• Livingstone College• Cleveland Community College• Guilford College• Johnston Community College• Tri-County Community College• Bull City Durham Beauty And Barber College• Gwinnett College• Southeastern Community College• Mars Hill University• Wake Forest University• University of North Carolina, Wilmington• Randolph Community College• Leons Beauty School Inc• Belmont Abbey College• University of North Carolina at Asheville• Pitt Community College• Piedmont Community College• Western Piedmont Community College• Campbell University• South Piedmont Community College• Forsyth Technical Community College• Martin Community College• Empire Beauty School-Concord• Nash Community College• North Carolina State University At Raleigh• Greensboro College• Chowan University• Pinnacle Institute of Cosmetology• Mitchells Hairstyling Academy-Wilson• Alexander Paul Institute of Hair Design• Catawba College• Catawba Valley Community College• Beaufort County Community College• North Carolina A & T State University• Central Piedmont Community College• William Peace University• Caldwell Community College And Technical Institute• Pamlico Community College• Central Carolina Community College• Richmond Community College• St. Andrews University• Chamberlain University-North Carolina• Wake Technical Community College• Strayer University-North Carolina• Empire Beauty School-West Greensboro• Carteret Community College• Elevate Salon Institute• Southwestern Community College• Lees-Mcrae College• Wilson Community College• Saint Augustine's University• Rowan-Cabarrus Community College• Queens University of Charlotte• Carolina College of Hair Design• Watts School of Nursing• University of North Carolina at Greensboro• North Carolina Wesleyan College• Miller-Motte College-Fayetteville• Beyond Measure Barbering Institute• Robeson Community College• Shaw University• Lenoir-Rhyne University• Empire Beauty School-Pineville• Stanly Community College• James Sprunt Community College• Wayne Community College• University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill• Winston Salem Barber School• Haywood Community College• College of the Albemarle• Charlotte Christian College And Theological Seminary• University of North Carolina School of the Arts• Elizabeth City State University• Brunswick Community College• College of Wilmington• University of North Carolina at Charlotte• Gaston College• Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary• Meredith College• Carolina Christian College• Vance-Granville Community College• No Grease Barber School• Winston-Salem State University• Empire Beauty School-Winston-Salem• Fayetteville State University• Cape Fear Community College• Nascar Technical Institute• Southeastern Free Will Baptist Bible College• Paul Mitchell The School-Raleigh• Montreat College• Salem College• Johnson C Smith University• South University-High Point• Mitchell Community College• Gardner-Webb University• Sampson Community College• Methodist University• Cabarrus College of Health Sciences• McDowell Technical Community College• Coastal Carolina Community College• Elon University• Barton College• Mycomputercareer.edu-Raleigh• Paul Mitchell The School-Gastonia• Appalachian State University• Johnson & Wales University-Charlotte• University of North Carolina at Pembroke• Guilford Technical Community College• Wilkes Community College• Davidson College• Center for Massage• Piedmont International University• Carolina College of Biblical Studies• North Carolina Central University• Blue Ridge Community College• Edgecombe Community College• Durham Technical Community College• Fayetteville Technical Community College• Bladen Community College• Mayland Community College• Pfeiffer University• Paul Mitchell The School-Fayetteville• Miller-Motte College-Wilmington• University Of Mount Olive• Miller-Motte College-Jacksonville• Empire Beauty School-Charlotte• Warren Wilson College• Wingate University• Montgomery Community College• Bennett College• Louisburg College• Brevard College• Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College• Aveda Institute-Chapel Hill• Western Carolina University• Mid-Atlantic Christian University• Isothermal Community College• Grace College Of Divinity• Heritage Bible College• Lenoir Community College• Rockingham Community College• Sandhills Community College• High Point University• Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Charlotte• Carolinas College Of Health Sciences• Surry Community College• Craven Community College• Duke University• Miller-Motte College-Raleigh• East Carolina University• Halifax Community College• Davidson County Community College
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