2027 Best Value International Studies Schools in North Carolina

[International Studies](/majors/multi-interdisciplinary-studies/international-studies/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
To produce this 2027 ranking, College Factual evaluated 6 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for international studies students.
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2027 Best Value International Studies Schools in North Carolina
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in international studies, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value International Studies Schools
Leading the list is University Of North Carolina At Chapel Hill, our #1 best value for international studies in North Carolina. Set in the city of Chapel Hill, University Of North Carolina At Chapel Hill is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $8,994 in tuition and fees, compared with $41,203 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for international studies graduates is $15,117. Early-career international studies graduates make about $61,361. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of North Carolina At Chapel Hill admits about 15% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Western Carolina University earned it the #2 place for international studies. Set in the town of Cullowhee, Western Carolina University is a large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $4,630, while out-of-state students pay about $8,630. International Studies graduates carry a median of $24,174 in student loans. Soon after graduation, international studies degree recipients from Western Carolina University generally make around $44,926. Set against $24,174 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Western Carolina University admits about 82% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of North Carolina At Charlotte earned it the #3 place for international studies. Set in the city of Charlotte, University Of North Carolina At Charlotte is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $7,239, with out-of-state students paying around $22,492. International Studies graduates carry a median of $24,250 in student loans. Soon after graduation, international studies degree recipients from University Of North Carolina At Charlotte generally make around $32,206. Set against $24,250 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of North Carolina At Charlotte admits about 80% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in international studies will find it at North Carolina State University At Raleigh, which ranked #4. Located in the city of Raleigh, North Carolina State University At Raleigh is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $8,799 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $32,847. Typical student debt for international studies graduates is $22,500. Soon after graduation, international studies degree recipients from North Carolina State University At Raleigh generally make around $45,648. That is a strong return on a $22,500 median debt. Roughly 42% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in international studies will find it at Appalachian State University, which ranked #5. Set in the town of Boone, Appalachian State University is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $7,579, with out-of-state students paying around $25,212. Typical student debt for international studies graduates is $22,991. International Studies graduates of Appalachian State University earn a median of $23,073 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $22,991 median debt. The acceptance rate is 90%.
University Of North Carolina At Wilmington earned the #6 position for value in international studies this year. Set in the city of Wilmington, University Of North Carolina At Wilmington is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $7,277, while out-of-state students pay about $24,152. International Studies graduates carry a median of $18,750 in student loans. Early-career international studies graduates make about $21,830. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 64% of applicants are accepted.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 6 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 6 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.