2027 Best Value Public Health Schools in North Carolina
[Public Health](/majors/health-care-professions/public-health/) 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.
For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 13 schools to find the best return on investment for public health students.
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2027 Best Value Public Health Schools in North Carolina
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in public health, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Public Health Schools
Our analysis ranked University Of North Carolina At Chapel Hill the best value for a degree in public health in North Carolina. Set in the city of Chapel Hill, University Of North Carolina At Chapel Hill is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $8,994, compared with $41,203 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for public health graduates is $16,203. Early-career public health graduates make about $75,293. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 15% of applicants are accepted.
University Of North Carolina At Greensboro is a great value for students pursuing a degree in public health, landing the #2 spot this year. Set in the city of Greensboro, University Of North Carolina At Greensboro is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $7,661, with out-of-state students paying around $24,012. Students borrow a median of $25,500 to complete the public health program here. Soon after graduation, public health degree recipients from University Of North Carolina At Greensboro generally make around $46,052. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 88%.
Fayetteville State University came in at #3 on our 2027 list of the best value public health schools. Located in the city of Fayetteville, Fayetteville State University is a moderately-sized public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $4,353, compared with $8,353 for out-of-state students. Public Health graduates carry a median of $27,869 in student loans. Early-career public health graduates make about $41,449. Set against $27,869 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Fayetteville State University admits about 82% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of North Carolina At Charlotte earned it the #4 place for public health. University Of North Carolina At Charlotte is a very large public school located in the city of Charlotte. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $7,239, compared with $22,492 for out-of-state students. Public Health graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans. Soon after graduation, public health degree recipients from University Of North Carolina At Charlotte generally make around $46,752. Set against $27,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 80% of applicants are accepted.
University Of North Carolina At Asheville came in at #5 on our 2027 list of the best value public health schools. Set in the city of Asheville, University Of North Carolina At Asheville is a mid-sized public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $7,501, while out-of-state students pay about $24,849. Students borrow a median of $23,141 to complete the public health program here. Soon after graduation, public health degree recipients from University Of North Carolina At Asheville generally make around $27,913. That is a strong return on a $23,141 median debt. Roughly 92% of applicants are accepted.
East Carolina University earned the #6 position for value in public health this year. Set in the city of Greenville, East Carolina University is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $7,361 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $23,638. Public Health graduates carry a median of $25,750 in student loans. Soon after graduation, public health degree recipients from East Carolina University generally make around $45,253. That is a strong return on a $25,750 median debt. East Carolina University admits about 89% of applicants.
North Carolina Central University came in at #7 for value in public health this year. Located in the city of Durham, North Carolina Central University is a moderately-sized public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $6,699, with out-of-state students paying around $19,735. Typical student debt for public health graduates is $31,000. Public Health graduates of North Carolina Central University earn a median of $38,198 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. North Carolina Central University admits about 87% of applicants.
Appalachian State University earned the #8 position for value in public health this year. Located in the town of Boone, Appalachian State University is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $7,579, compared with $25,212 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for public health graduates is $20,361. Public Health graduates of Appalachian State University earn a median of $34,148 early in their careers. Set against $20,361 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 90%.
University Of North Carolina At Wilmington placed #9 among the best values for public health. University Of North Carolina At Wilmington is a very large public school located in the city of Wilmington. In-state tuition and fees average $7,277, with out-of-state students paying around $24,152. Students borrow a median of $23,500 to complete the public health program here. Soon after graduation, public health degree recipients from University Of North Carolina At Wilmington generally make around $36,458. That is a strong return on a $23,500 median debt. Roughly 64% of applicants are accepted.
Wingate University ranked #10 on our 2027 list of the best value public health schools. Wingate University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Wingate. In-state tuition and fees average $42,576. Typical student debt for public health graduates is $25,556. Soon after graduation, public health degree recipients from Wingate University generally make around $53,836. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 91% of applicants are accepted.
Campbell University ranked #11 on our 2027 list of the best value public health schools. Set in the town of Buies Creek, Campbell University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $41,600. Students borrow a median of $23,641 to complete the public health program here. Soon after graduation, public health degree recipients from Campbell University generally make around $74,166. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 87%.
Duke University placed #12 among the best values for public health. Set in the city of Durham, Duke University is a large private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $68,758. Typical student debt for public health graduates is $12,500. Early-career public health graduates make about $53,804. That is a strong return on a $12,500 median debt. The acceptance rate is 6%.
Elon University landed the #13 spot for public health value this year. Set in the suburb of Elon, Elon University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $46,958. Students borrow a median of $20,500 to complete the public health program here. Soon after graduation, public health degree recipients from Elon University generally make around $42,088. That is a strong return on a $20,500 median debt. Roughly 66% of applicants are accepted.
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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 · 13 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 13 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.
