2026 Best Value Chemical & Physical Oceanography Schools in North Carolina
[Chemical & Physical Oceanography](/majors/physical-sciences/geological-and-earth-sciences/oceanography-chemical-and-physical/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
College Factual analyzed 3 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value chemical & physical oceanography schools.
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2026 Best Value Chemical & Physical Oceanography Schools in North Carolina
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the chemical & physical oceanography degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Chemical & Physical Oceanography Schools
For return on investment in chemical & physical oceanography, no school beat University Of North Carolina At Chapel Hill this year. 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 chemical & physical oceanography graduates is $15,117. Early-career chemical & physical oceanography graduates make about $61,361. Set against $15,117 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 15%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at North Carolina State University At Raleigh earned it the #2 place for chemical & physical oceanography. North Carolina State University At Raleigh is a very large public school located in the city of Raleigh. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $8,799, with out-of-state students paying around $32,847. Chemical & Physical Oceanography graduates carry a median of $22,234 in student loans. Soon after graduation, chemical & physical oceanography degree recipients from North Carolina State University At Raleigh generally make around $38,871. That is a strong return on a $22,234 median debt. North Carolina State University At Raleigh admits about 42% of applicants.
A rank of #3 makes University Of North Carolina At Wilmington one of the best values for chemical & physical oceanography. Located in the city of Wilmington, University Of North Carolina At Wilmington is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $7,277, while out-of-state students pay about $24,152. Typical student debt for chemical & physical oceanography graduates is $26,000. Soon after graduation, chemical & physical oceanography degree recipients from University Of North Carolina At Wilmington generally make around $38,459. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of North Carolina At Wilmington admits about 64% of applicants.
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Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 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 · 3 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 2 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.
