2027 Best Value General Education Schools in North Carolina
[General Education](/majors/education/general-education/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
To produce this 2027 ranking, College Factual evaluated 7 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for general education students.
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2027 Best Value General Education Schools in North Carolina
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in general education, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value General Education Schools
University Of North Carolina At Chapel Hill tops our 2027 list of the best value general education schools in North Carolina. Located in the city of Chapel Hill, University Of North Carolina At Chapel Hill is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $8,994, while out-of-state students pay about $41,203. Students borrow a median of $15,117 to complete the general education program here. Early-career general education graduates make about $67,996. That is a strong return on a $15,117 median debt. Roughly 15% of applicants are accepted.
A rank of #2 makes North Carolina State University At Raleigh one of the best values for general education. North Carolina State University At Raleigh is a very large public school located in the city of Raleigh. In-state tuition and fees average $8,799, while out-of-state students pay about $32,847. Typical student debt for general education graduates is $22,113. Early-career general education graduates make about $59,622. That is a strong return on a $22,113 median debt. North Carolina State University At Raleigh admits about 42% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Davidson College earned it the #3 place for general education. Set in the suburb of Davidson, Davidson College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $64,430. Typical student debt for general education graduates is $19,906. Early-career general education graduates make about $41,505. That is a strong return on a $19,906 median debt. Roughly 13% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Western Carolina University earned it the #4 place for general education. Western Carolina University is a large public school located in the town of Cullowhee. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $4,630, with out-of-state students paying around $8,630. Students borrow a median of $24,174 to complete the general education program here. General Education graduates of Western Carolina University earn a median of $47,964 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $24,174 median debt. The acceptance rate is 82%.
A rank of #5 makes University Of North Carolina At Wilmington one of the best values for general education. Set in the city of Wilmington, University Of North Carolina At Wilmington is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $7,277, compared with $24,152 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $23,013 to complete the general education program here. Soon after graduation, general education degree recipients from University Of North Carolina At Wilmington generally make around $45,465. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of North Carolina At Wilmington admits about 64% of applicants.
Wingate University landed the #6 spot for general education value this year. Set in the suburb of Wingate, Wingate University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $42,576. Students borrow a median of $25,556 to complete the general education program here. General Education graduates of Wingate University earn a median of $53,836 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 91% of applicants are accepted.
Campbell University ranked #7 on our 2027 list of the best value general education schools. Located in the town of Buies Creek, Campbell University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $41,600 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for general education graduates is $18,750. Soon after graduation, general education degree recipients from Campbell University generally make around $54,629. That is a strong return on a $18,750 median debt. The acceptance rate is 87%.
More General Education Rankings
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 7 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 7 ranked schools only.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
