2026 Best Value General Public Health Schools in North Carolina

[General Public Health](/majors/health-care-professions/public-health/public-health-general/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong general public health education at a price that pays off.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 15 schools to find the best return on investment for general public health students.
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2026 Best Value General Public Health Schools in North Carolina
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the general public health degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value General Public Health Schools
University Of North Carolina At Chapel Hill tops our 2026 list of the best value general public health schools in North Carolina. Located in the city of Chapel Hill, University Of North Carolina At Chapel Hill is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $8,994 in tuition and fees, compared with $41,203 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $16,203 to complete the general public health program here. Soon after graduation, general public health degree recipients from University Of North Carolina At Chapel Hill generally make around $75,293. Set against $16,203 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 15% of applicants are accepted.
A rank of #2 makes University Of North Carolina At Asheville one of the best values for general public health. University Of North Carolina At Asheville is a mid-sized public school located in the city of Asheville. In-state tuition and fees average $7,501, while out-of-state students pay about $24,849. General Public Health graduates carry a median of $23,141 in student loans. General Public Health graduates of University Of North Carolina At Asheville earn a median of $27,913 early in their careers. Set against $23,141 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of North Carolina At Asheville admits about 92% of applicants.
A rank of #3 makes University Of North Carolina At Charlotte one of the best values for general public health. Located in the city of Charlotte, University Of North Carolina At Charlotte is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $7,239 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $22,492. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete the general public health program here. Early-career general public health graduates make about $46,752. Set against $27,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 80%.
Appalachian State University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in general public health, landing the #4 spot this year. Located in the town of Boone, Appalachian State University is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $7,579, compared with $25,212 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $20,361 to complete the general public health program here. Early-career general public health graduates make about $34,148. Set against $20,361 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 90%.
East Carolina University came in at #5 on our 2026 list of the best value general public health schools. East Carolina University is a very large public school located in the city of Greenville. In-state tuition and fees average $7,361, while out-of-state students pay about $23,638. General Public Health graduates carry a median of $25,750 in student loans. Early-career general public health graduates make about $45,253. That is a strong return on a $25,750 median debt. Roughly 89% of applicants are accepted.
University Of North Carolina At Wilmington placed #6 among the best values for general public health. Located in the city of Wilmington, University Of North Carolina At Wilmington is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $7,277 in tuition and fees, compared with $24,152 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $23,500 to complete the general public health program here. Early-career general public health graduates make about $36,458. Set against $23,500 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of North Carolina At Wilmington admits about 64% of applicants.
Wingate University placed #7 among the best values for general public health. Wingate University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Wingate. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $42,576. General Public Health graduates carry a median of $25,556 in student loans. General Public Health graduates of Wingate University earn a median of $53,836 early in their careers. Set against $25,556 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Wingate University admits about 91% of applicants.
Campbell University earned the #8 position for value in general public health this year. Located in the town of Buies Creek, Campbell University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $41,600. Typical student debt for general public health graduates is $23,641. General Public Health graduates of Campbell University earn a median of $74,166 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $23,641 median debt. Campbell University admits about 87% of applicants.
Wake Forest University placed #9 among the best values for general public health. Set in the city of Winston-Salem, Wake Forest University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $67,642. General Public Health graduates carry a median of $21,577 in student loans. Early-career general public health graduates make about $67,369. Set against $21,577 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Wake Forest University admits about 22% of applicants.
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Notes and References
This list is compiled 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 · 15 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.