2027 Best Early Childhood Education Schools in North Carolina
Early Childhood Education degree programs prepare students for a range of careers in the field. A focused field like this rewards careful comparison of the schools that offer it.
College Factual analyzed 49 schools to build this 2027 ranking of the best early childhood education schools.
What’s on this page:
Best Schools for Early Childhood Education in North Carolina
If you are not interested in a particular degree level and want to know which schools are the overall best at delivering an education for the early childhood education degrees they offer, see the list below.
Top Schools in Early Childhood Education
Leading the list is University Of North Carolina At Chapel Hill, our #1 school for early childhood education. Set in the city of Chapel Hill, University Of North Carolina At Chapel Hill is a very large public institution. Roughly 91% of students complete a degree within six years here. About 112 early childhood education degrees were awarded at University Of North Carolina At Chapel Hill in the most recent year. Students who receive their early childhood education degree from University Of North Carolina At Chapel Hill earn around $37,424 in the first couple years of their career. Students borrow a median of $13,640 to complete this degree.
More information about a degree in early childhood education from University Of North Carolina At Chapel Hill
Stanly Community College is a great choice for students pursuing a degree in early childhood education, landing the #2 spot this year. Located in the town of Albemarle, Stanly Community College is a mid-sized public university. About 64 early childhood education degrees were awarded at Stanly Community College in the most recent year. Graduates of the early childhood education program make about $32,147 in their early career.
More information about a degree in early childhood education from Stanly Community College
Rowan Cabarrus Community College is a great choice for students pursuing a degree in early childhood education, landing the #3 spot this year. Set in the suburb of Salisbury, Rowan Cabarrus Community College is a moderately-sized public institution. Rowan Cabarrus Community College awarded about 91 early childhood education degrees in the most recent data year. Early Childhood Education graduates of Rowan Cabarrus Community College earn a median of $24,323 early in their careers. Students borrow a median of $7,000 to complete this degree.
Read more about the early childhood education program at Rowan Cabarrus Community College
University Of North Carolina At Greensboro is one of the finest schools in the country for a degree in early childhood education, ranking #4. Located in the city of Greensboro, University Of North Carolina At Greensboro is a very large public university. About 56% of students finish within six years. About 45 early childhood education degrees were awarded at University Of North Carolina At Greensboro in the most recent year. Soon after graduation, early childhood education degree recipients from University Of North Carolina At Greensboro generally make around $44,447. Typical student debt for the program is $24,000.
See the full early childhood education program report for University Of North Carolina At Greensboro
A rank of #5 makes Central Piedmont Community College one of the top schools for early childhood education. Set in the city of Charlotte, Central Piedmont Community College is a very large public institution. There were roughly 164 early childhood education students who graduated with this degree at Central Piedmont Community College in the most recent data year. Early Childhood Education graduates of Central Piedmont Community College earn a median of $23,865 early in their careers. Central Piedmont Community College graduates carry a median of $9,500 in student loans.
More information about a degree in early childhood education from Central Piedmont Community College
Durham Technical Community College landed the #6 spot for early childhood education this year. Set in the city of Durham, Durham Technical Community College is a moderately-sized public institution. Durham Technical Community College awarded about 47 early childhood education degrees in the most recent data year. Students who receive their early childhood education degree from Durham Technical Community College earn around $33,260 in the first couple years of their career. Typical student debt for the program is $25,522.
Get the full early childhood education details for Durham Technical Community College
Lenoir Community College came in at #7 for early childhood education this year. Lenoir Community College is a mid-sized public school located in the town of Kinston. There were roughly 14 early childhood education students who graduated with this degree at Lenoir Community College in the most recent data year. Graduates of the early childhood education program make about $27,534 in their early career. Typical student debt for the program is $9,984.
Get the full early childhood education details for Lenoir Community College
South Piedmont Community College placed #8 among the best early childhood education schools. South Piedmont Community College is a moderately-sized public school located in the rural area of Polkton. About 31 early childhood education degrees were awarded at South Piedmont Community College in the most recent year. Students who receive their early childhood education degree from South Piedmont Community College earn around $31,111 in the first couple years of their career. Typical student debt for the program is $8,200.
Read more about the early childhood education program at South Piedmont Community College
Wake Technical Community College earned the #9 position for early childhood education this year. This very large public university is located in the suburb of Raleigh. Wake Technical Community College awarded about 233 early childhood education degrees in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, early childhood education degree recipients from Wake Technical Community College generally make around $22,724. Students borrow a median of $19,592 to complete this degree.
Read more about the early childhood education program at Wake Technical Community College
Alamance Community College earned the #10 position for early childhood education this year. Located in the suburb of Graham, Alamance Community College is a moderately-sized public university. About 145 early childhood education degrees were awarded at Alamance Community College in the most recent year. Soon after graduation, early childhood education degree recipients from Alamance Community College generally make around $26,105. Alamance Community College graduates carry a median of $6,625 in student loans.
Read more about the early childhood education program at Alamance Community College
James Sprunt Community College ranked #11 on our 2027 list of the best early childhood education schools. James Sprunt Community College is a small public school located in the rural area of Kenansville. There were roughly 104 early childhood education students who graduated with this degree at James Sprunt Community College in the most recent data year. Students who receive their early childhood education degree from James Sprunt Community College earn around $26,775 in the first couple years of their career. Students borrow a median of $11,278 to complete this degree.
Read more about the early childhood education program at James Sprunt Community College
Forsyth Technical Community College landed the #12 spot for early childhood education this year. This large public university is located in the city of Winston-Salem. Forsyth Technical Community College awarded about 198 early childhood education degrees in the most recent data year. Graduates of the early childhood education program make about $26,572 in their early career. Students borrow a median of $19,719 to complete this degree.
See the full early childhood education program report for Forsyth Technical Community College
Montgomery Community College earned the #13 position for early childhood education this year. Set in the rural area of Troy, Montgomery Community College is a small public institution. Montgomery Community College awarded about 21 early childhood education degrees in the most recent data year. Students who receive their early childhood education degree from Montgomery Community College earn around $38,983 in the first couple years of their career.
Read more about the early childhood education program at Montgomery Community College
Gaston College came in at #14 for early childhood education this year. Set in the suburb of Dallas, Gaston College is a moderately-sized public institution. About 40 early childhood education degrees were awarded at Gaston College in the most recent year. Students who receive their early childhood education degree from Gaston College earn around $39,937 in the first couple years of their career. Students borrow a median of $10,915 to complete this degree.
Read more about the early childhood education program at Gaston College
Guilford Technical Community College earned the #15 position for early childhood education this year. Located in the suburb of Jamestown, Guilford Technical Community College is a large public university. About 97 early childhood education degrees were awarded at Guilford Technical Community College in the most recent year. Early Childhood Education graduates of Guilford Technical Community College earn a median of $31,215 early in their careers. Guilford Technical Community College graduates carry a median of $22,125 in student loans.
More information about a degree in early childhood education from Guilford Technical Community College
Randolph Community College ranked #16 on our 2027 list of the best early childhood education schools. Set in the town of Asheboro, Randolph Community College is a mid-sized public institution. There were roughly 58 early childhood education students who graduated with this degree at Randolph Community College in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, early childhood education degree recipients from Randolph Community College generally make around $32,198.
More information about a degree in early childhood education from Randolph Community College
Coastal Carolina Community College landed the #17 spot for early childhood education this year. Set in the city of Jacksonville, Coastal Carolina Community College is a moderately-sized public institution. About 36 early childhood education degrees were awarded at Coastal Carolina Community College in the most recent year. Early Childhood Education graduates of Coastal Carolina Community College earn a median of $37,831 early in their careers. Coastal Carolina Community College graduates carry a median of $7,125 in student loans.
Read more about the early childhood education program at Coastal Carolina Community College
Cape Fear Community College came in at #18 for early childhood education this year. Set in the city of Wilmington, Cape Fear Community College is a very large public institution. About 17 early childhood education degrees were awarded at Cape Fear Community College in the most recent year. Students who receive their early childhood education degree from Cape Fear Community College earn around $42,889 in the first couple years of their career. Cape Fear Community College graduates carry a median of $12,388 in student loans.
See the full early childhood education program report for Cape Fear Community College
Wilkes Community College earned the #19 position for early childhood education this year. Located in the town of Wilkesboro, Wilkes Community College is a mid-sized public university. Wilkes Community College awarded about 37 early childhood education degrees in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, early childhood education degree recipients from Wilkes Community College generally make around $36,341. Wilkes Community College graduates carry a median of $9,125 in student loans.
See the full early childhood education program report for Wilkes Community College
Beaufort County Community College earned the #20 position for early childhood education this year. This mid-sized public university is located in the rural area of Washington. Beaufort County Community College awarded about 81 early childhood education degrees in the most recent data year. Early Childhood Education graduates of Beaufort County Community College earn a median of $38,009 early in their careers. Typical student debt for the program is $7,947.
Read more about the early childhood education program at Beaufort County Community College
Craven Community College came in at #21 for early childhood education this year. Set in the town of New Bern, Craven Community College is a mid-sized public institution. Craven Community College awarded about 38 early childhood education degrees in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, early childhood education degree recipients from Craven Community College generally make around $30,235. Students borrow a median of $8,924 to complete this degree.
More information about a degree in early childhood education from Craven Community College
Southeastern Community College Whiteville landed the #22 spot for early childhood education this year. Located in the rural area of Whiteville, Southeastern Community College Whiteville is a small public university. About 30 early childhood education degrees were awarded at Southeastern Community College Whiteville in the most recent year. Students who receive their early childhood education degree from Southeastern Community College Whiteville earn around $65,328 in the first couple years of their career. Students borrow a median of $10,188 to complete this degree.
Get the full early childhood education details for Southeastern Community College Whiteville
Haywood Community College came in at #23 for early childhood education this year. Haywood Community College is a small public school located in the rural area of Clyde. Haywood Community College awarded about 10 early childhood education degrees in the most recent data year. Students who receive their early childhood education degree from Haywood Community College earn around $28,013 in the first couple years of their career.
Read more about the early childhood education program at Haywood Community College
Pitt Community College placed #24 among the best early childhood education schools. This large public university is located in the suburb of Winterville. About 103 early childhood education degrees were awarded at Pitt Community College in the most recent year. Early Childhood Education graduates of Pitt Community College earn a median of $43,022 early in their careers. Pitt Community College graduates carry a median of $15,250 in student loans.
See the full early childhood education program report for Pitt Community College
Brunswick Community College landed the #25 spot for early childhood education this year. Set in the rural area of Bolivia, Brunswick Community College is a mid-sized public institution. About 24 early childhood education degrees were awarded at Brunswick Community College in the most recent year. Early Childhood Education graduates of Brunswick Community College earn a median of $47,493 early in their careers. Brunswick Community College graduates carry a median of $5,500 in student loans.
See the full early childhood education program report for Brunswick Community College
Rest of the Top 49 Early Childhood Education Schools
Not far behind, these schools also delivered a strong early childhood education education:
More Early Childhood Education Rankings
View All Early Childhood Education Rankings >
Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 edition. The methodology weighs graduation rate, post-graduation earnings, cost, and program quality, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Top Ranked · 49 schools evaluated.
- 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.
