2027 Best Value Respiratory Care Therapy/Therapist Schools in North Carolina
[Respiratory Care Therapy/Therapist](/majors/health-care-professions/allied-health-professions/respiratory-care-therapy-therapist/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 18 schools to find the best return on investment for respiratory care therapy/therapist students.
What’s on this page:
2027 Best Value Respiratory Care Therapy/Therapist Schools in North Carolina
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in respiratory care therapy/therapist, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Respiratory Care Therapy/Therapist Schools
Leading the list is Edgecombe Community College, our #1 best value for respiratory care therapy/therapist in North Carolina. Edgecombe Community College is a mid-sized public school located in the rural area of Tarboro. Students from in state pay about $2,640 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $8,784. Typical student debt for respiratory care therapy/therapist graduates is $16,690. Early-career respiratory care therapy/therapist graduates make about $60,003. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Students looking for strong value in respiratory care therapy/therapist will find it at Wilkes Community College, which ranked #2. Located in the town of Wilkesboro, Wilkes Community College is a mid-sized public university. In-state tuition and fees average $2,572, while out-of-state students pay about $8,716. Typical student debt for respiratory care therapy/therapist graduates is $9,125. Early-career respiratory care therapy/therapist graduates make about $36,341. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Durham Technical Community College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in respiratory care therapy/therapist, landing the #3 spot this year. Set in the city of Durham, Durham Technical Community College is a moderately-sized public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $2,240, while out-of-state students pay about $7,531. Typical student debt for respiratory care therapy/therapist graduates is $20,408. Soon after graduation, respiratory care therapy/therapist degree recipients from Durham Technical Community College generally make around $46,293. That is a strong return on a $20,408 median debt.
Students looking for strong value in respiratory care therapy/therapist will find it at Central Piedmont Community College, which ranked #4. Located in the city of Charlotte, Central Piedmont Community College is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $2,792 in tuition and fees, compared with $8,936 for out-of-state students. Respiratory Care Therapy/therapist graduates carry a median of $16,422 in student loans. Respiratory Care Therapy/therapist graduates of Central Piedmont Community College earn a median of $61,455 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Robeson Community College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in respiratory care therapy/therapist, landing the #5 spot this year. Set in the town of Lumberton, Robeson Community College is a mid-sized public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $2,604, with out-of-state students paying around $8,748. Respiratory Care Therapy/therapist graduates carry a median of $9,949 in student loans. Respiratory Care Therapy/therapist graduates of Robeson Community College earn a median of $54,305 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $9,949 median debt.
Rockingham Community College ranked #6 on our 2027 list of the best value respiratory care therapy/therapist schools. Located in the rural area of Wentworth, Rockingham Community College is a mid-sized public university. Students from in state pay about $1,966 in tuition and fees, compared with $6,574 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $5,500 to complete the respiratory care therapy/therapist program here. Early-career respiratory care therapy/therapist graduates make about $55,849. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Fayetteville Technical Community College came in at #7 for value in respiratory care therapy/therapist this year. Located in the city of Fayetteville, Fayetteville Technical Community College is a large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $2,628, with out-of-state students paying around $8,772. Typical student debt for respiratory care therapy/therapist graduates is $14,486. Respiratory Care Therapy/therapist graduates of Fayetteville Technical Community College earn a median of $50,872 early in their careers. Set against $14,486 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Sandhills Community College earned the #8 position for value in respiratory care therapy/therapist this year. Located in the rural area of Pinehurst, Sandhills Community College is a moderately-sized public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $2,040, with out-of-state students paying around $6,648. Students borrow a median of $9,238 to complete the respiratory care therapy/therapist program here. Respiratory Care Therapy/therapist graduates of Sandhills Community College earn a median of $51,685 early in their careers. Set against $9,238 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Southwestern Community College Sylva came in at #9 for value in respiratory care therapy/therapist this year. Southwestern Community College Sylva is a mid-sized public school located in the town of Sylva. Students from in state pay about $4,112 in tuition and fees, compared with $13,184 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $10,408 to complete the respiratory care therapy/therapist program here. Soon after graduation, respiratory care therapy/therapist degree recipients from Southwestern Community College Sylva generally make around $48,233. Set against $10,408 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Stanly Community College earned the #10 position for value in respiratory care therapy/therapist this year. Stanly Community College is a mid-sized public school located in the town of Albemarle. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $2,672, compared with $8,816 for out-of-state students. Respiratory Care Therapy/therapist graduates of Stanly Community College earn a median of $41,920 early in their careers.
Forsyth Technical Community College came in at #11 for value in respiratory care therapy/therapist this year. Located in the city of Winston-Salem, Forsyth Technical Community College is a large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $2,276, compared with $6,884 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for respiratory care therapy/therapist graduates is $13,588. Early-career respiratory care therapy/therapist graduates make about $54,726. Set against $13,588 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Pitt Community College placed #12 among the best values for respiratory care therapy/therapist. Located in the suburb of Winterville, Pitt Community College is a large public university. Students from in state pay about $3,871 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $13,087. Typical student debt for respiratory care therapy/therapist graduates is $13,763. Respiratory Care Therapy/therapist graduates of Pitt Community College earn a median of $60,240 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Wake Technical Community College placed #13 among the best values for respiratory care therapy/therapist. Set in the suburb of Raleigh, Wake Technical Community College is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $2,254 in tuition and fees, compared with $6,862 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for respiratory care therapy/therapist graduates is $17,090. Respiratory Care Therapy/therapist graduates of Wake Technical Community College earn a median of $38,673 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Catawba Valley Community College placed #14 among the best values for respiratory care therapy/therapist. Catawba Valley Community College is a moderately-sized public school located in the city of Hickory. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $2,427, with out-of-state students paying around $7,803. Respiratory Care Therapy/therapist graduates carry a median of $7,125 in student loans. Respiratory Care Therapy/therapist graduates of Catawba Valley Community College earn a median of $46,732 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $7,125 median debt.
Carteret Community College earned the #15 position for value in respiratory care therapy/therapist this year. Located in the town of Morehead City, Carteret Community College is a mid-sized public university. Students from in state pay about $2,310 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $8,222. Students borrow a median of $5,566 to complete the respiratory care therapy/therapist program here. Soon after graduation, respiratory care therapy/therapist degree recipients from Carteret Community College generally make around $53,425. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
University Of North Carolina At Charlotte ranked #16 on our 2027 list of the best value respiratory care therapy/therapist schools. Located in the city of Charlotte, University Of North Carolina At Charlotte is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $7,239, with out-of-state students paying around $22,492. Students borrow a median of $21,537 to complete the respiratory care therapy/therapist program here. Respiratory Care Therapy/therapist graduates of University Of North Carolina At Charlotte earn a median of $67,997 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $21,537 median debt. The acceptance rate is 80%.
Cabarrus College Of Health Sciences landed the #17 spot for respiratory care therapy/therapist value this year. Located in the city of Concord, Cabarrus College Of Health Sciences is a small private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $16,550 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $24,414 to complete the respiratory care therapy/therapist program here. Respiratory Care Therapy/therapist graduates of Cabarrus College Of Health Sciences earn a median of $60,869 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Cabarrus College Of Health Sciences admits about 23% of applicants.
University Of North Carolina At Wilmington came in at #18 for value in respiratory care therapy/therapist this year. 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, while out-of-state students pay about $24,152. Students borrow a median of $23,013 to complete the respiratory care therapy/therapist program here. Early-career respiratory care therapy/therapist graduates make about $46,164. Set against $23,013 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 64%.
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 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 · 18 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 18 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.
