2026 Best Value Occupational Therapist Assistant Schools in North Carolina
[Occupational Therapist Assistant](/majors/health-care-professions/allied-health-medical-assisting-services/occupational-therapist-assistant/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong occupational therapist assistant education at a price that pays off.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 8 schools to find the best return on investment for occupational therapist assistant students.
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2026 Best Value Occupational Therapist Assistant Schools in North Carolina
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in occupational therapist assistant, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Occupational Therapist Assistant Schools
Durham Technical Community College tops our 2026 list of the best value occupational therapist assistant schools in North Carolina. Set in the city of Durham, Durham Technical Community College is a moderately-sized public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $2,240, with out-of-state students paying around $7,531. Occupational Therapist Assistant graduates carry a median of $20,408 in student loans. Early-career occupational therapist assistant graduates make about $46,293. That is a strong return on a $20,408 median debt.
Central Piedmont Community College came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value occupational therapist assistant schools. Central Piedmont Community College is a very large public school located in the city of Charlotte. In-state tuition and fees average $2,792, with out-of-state students paying around $8,936. Occupational Therapist Assistant graduates carry a median of $17,512 in student loans. Early-career occupational therapist assistant graduates make about $35,967. That is a strong return on a $17,512 median debt.
A rank of #3 makes Rowan Cabarrus Community College one of the best values for occupational therapist assistant. Set in the suburb of Salisbury, Rowan Cabarrus Community College is a moderately-sized public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $2,064, compared with $6,672 for out-of-state students. Occupational Therapist Assistant graduates carry a median of $10,867 in student loans. Occupational Therapist Assistant graduates of Rowan Cabarrus Community College earn a median of $37,465 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
A rank of #4 makes Southwestern Community College Sylva one of the best values for occupational therapist assistant. Southwestern Community College Sylva is a mid-sized public school located in the town of Sylva. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $4,112, while out-of-state students pay about $13,184. Typical student debt for occupational therapist assistant graduates is $18,702. Soon after graduation, occupational therapist assistant degree recipients from Southwestern Community College Sylva generally make around $42,374. That is a strong return on a $18,702 median debt.
A rank of #5 makes Cape Fear Community College one of the best values for occupational therapist assistant. Set in the city of Wilmington, Cape Fear Community College is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $2,748, while out-of-state students pay about $8,892. Occupational Therapist Assistant graduates carry a median of $12,388 in student loans. Occupational Therapist Assistant graduates of Cape Fear Community College earn a median of $42,889 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $12,388 median debt.
Pitt Community College placed #6 among the best values for occupational therapist assistant. Pitt Community College is a large public school located in the suburb of Winterville. In-state tuition and fees average $3,871, with out-of-state students paying around $13,087. Typical student debt for occupational therapist assistant graduates is $20,700. Occupational Therapist Assistant graduates of Pitt Community College earn a median of $34,294 early in their careers. Set against $20,700 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Asheville Buncombe Technical Community College earned the #7 position for value in occupational therapist assistant this year. Set in the city of Asheville, Asheville Buncombe Technical Community College is a moderately-sized public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $2,882, with out-of-state students paying around $9,026. Students borrow a median of $29,500 to complete the occupational therapist assistant program here. Soon after graduation, occupational therapist assistant degree recipients from Asheville Buncombe Technical Community College generally make around $33,274. That is a strong return on a $29,500 median debt.
Cabarrus College Of Health Sciences landed the #8 spot for occupational therapist assistant value this year. Set in the city of Concord, Cabarrus College Of Health Sciences is a small private not-for-profit institution. Students from in state pay about $16,550 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $23,307 to complete the occupational therapist assistant program here. Occupational Therapist Assistant graduates of Cabarrus College Of Health Sciences earn a median of $37,422 early in their careers. Set against $23,307 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 23% of applicants are accepted.
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 8 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.
