2023 Best Value Colleges for Political Science (Income $0-$30k) in North Carolina
18
Ranked Colleges
1,752
Degrees Awarded
$10,200
Avg Net Price*
When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. College Factual has developed its “Best Value Poly Sci Schools in North Carolina For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.
Political Science is the 13th most popular major in the country with 47,549 degrees awarded in 2020-2021.
Across North Carolina, there were 1,752 political science graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively.
This year’s “Best Value Poly Sci Schools in North Carolina For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking analyzed 18 colleges that offered a degree in political science. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality political science programs that also have a lower cost than schools of similar quality.
When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the political science program at the school and the cost to attend the school once aid has been awarded. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.
One Size Does Not Fit All
The poly sci school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we’ve developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of “Best Value Poly Sci Schools in North Carolina For Those Making $0-$30k”.
To further help you make the college decision, we’ve developed a unique tool called College Combat that allows you to compare schools based on the factors that matter the most to you. If you’re torn between two schools, you can use it to help you see how they stack up against one another. Bookmark it so you can compare any new schools that might interest you.
Best Value Poly Sci Schools in North Carolina For Those Making $0-$30k
The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Poly Sci Schools in North Carolina For Those Making $0-$30k.
Top 18 Best Value Colleges for Political Science (Income $0-$30k) in North Carolina
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Duke University. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Best Value Poly Sci Schools in North Carolina For Those Making $0-$30k list. Duke is a fairly large school located in Durham, North Carolina that handed out 132 ’s poly sci degrees in 2020-2021.
Duke did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #1 on our “Best Political Science Schools in North Carolina” list. It costs about $371 for north carolina poly sci students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Duke.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.
Read full report on Political Science at Duke
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Poly Sci Schools in North Carolina For Those Making $0-$30k. This large school is located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, and it awarded 360 ’s poly sci degrees in 2020-2021.
UNC Chapel Hill did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #3 on our “Best Political Science Schools in North Carolina” list. The estimated yearly cost for UNC Chapel Hill is $3,753 for North Carolina Poly Sci students whose families make $0-$30k.
Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 95%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.4% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Read more about Political Science at UNC Chapel Hill
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Wake Forest University. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Poly Sci Schools in North Carolina For Those Making $0-$30k. Wake Forest University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 125 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Wake Forest University did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #2 on our “Best Political Science Schools in North Carolina” list. It costs about $10,401 for north carolina poly sci students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Wake Forest University.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 95%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full Wake Forest University Political Science Report
Out of the 18 schools in the Best Value Poly Sci Schools in North Carolina For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, North Carolina State University landed the #4 spot on the list. Raleigh, North Carolina is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s poly sci degrees to 163 students in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our north carolina poly sci students whose families make $0-$30k list, NC State has also earned the #5 rank in our “Best Political Science Schools in North Carolina” ranking. The yearly cost to attend NC State is $7,283 for north carolina poly sci students whose families make $0-$30k.
The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.
Full NC State Political Science Report
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Appalachian State University. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Poly Sci Schools in North Carolina For Those Making $0-$30k. Located in Boone, North Carolina, this large public school awarded 123 degrees to qualified ’s poly sci students in 2020-2021.
Appalachian State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #7 on our “Best Political Science Schools in North Carolina” list. It costs about $7,354 for North Carolina Poly Sci students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Appalachian State.
With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.
Full Appalachian State Political Science Report
With a ranking of #6, University of North Carolina at Greensboro did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Poly Sci Schools in North Carolina For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Greensboro, North Carolina, this fairly large public school awarded 84 diplomas to qualified ’s poly sci students in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at UNC Greensboro, the school also landed the #8 spot in our “Best Political Science Schools in North Carolina” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UNC Greensboro is $7,645 for north carolina poly sci students whose families make $0-$30k.
Read more about Political Science at University of North Carolina at Greensboro
University of North Carolina at Charlotte did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Poly Sci Schools in North Carolina For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #7. UNC Charlotte is a large public school situated in Charlotte, North Carolina. It awarded 185 ’s poly sci degrees in 2020-2021.
UNC Charlotte did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #6 on our “Best Political Science Schools in North Carolina” list. It costs about $12,751 for North Carolina Poly Sci students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend UNC Charlotte.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.
Read more about Political Science at UNC Charlotte
East Carolina University came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Poly Sci Schools in North Carolina For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. ECU is located in Greenville, North Carolina and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 74 ’s poly sci degrees to qualified students.
ECU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #9 on our “Best Political Science Schools in North Carolina” list. The yearly cost to attend ECU is $11,260 for North Carolina Poly Sci students whose families make $0-$30k.
Read more about Political Science at ECU
With a ranking of #9, University of North Carolina at Asheville did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Poly Sci Schools in North Carolina For Those Making $0-$30k list. University of North Carolina at Asheville is a small public school situated in Asheville, North Carolina. It awarded 19 ’s poly sci degrees in 2020-2021.
As a testament to the quality of education offered at UNCA, the school also landed the #12 spot in our “Best Political Science Schools in North Carolina” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for UNCA is $8,677 for North Carolina Poly Sci students whose families make $0-$30k.
Read more about Political Science at University of North Carolina at Asheville
University of North Carolina at Wilmington ranked #10 on this year’s Best Value Poly Sci Schools in North Carolina For Those Making $0-$30k list. University of North Carolina at Wilmington is a public institution located in Wilmington, North Carolina. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 59 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.
UNCW also took the #10 spot in our “Best Political Science Schools in North Carolina” ranking. It costs about $11,710 for North Carolina Poly Sci students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend University of North Carolina at Wilmington.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.1% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Read full report on Political Science at University of North Carolina at Wilmington
North Carolina A & T State University landed the #11 spot on the 2023 Best Value Poly Sci Schools in North Carolina For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in Greensboro, North Carolina, this fairly large public school handed out 37 diplomas to qualified ’s poly sci students in 2020-2021.
NC A&T also took the #14 spot in our “Best Political Science Schools in North Carolina” ranking. The yearly cost to attend North Carolina A & T State University is $7,827 for North Carolina Poly Sci students whose families make $0-$30k.
Full North Carolina A & T State University Political Science Report
With a ranking of #12, Fayetteville State University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Poly Sci Schools in North Carolina For Those Making $0-$30k list. Fayetteville, North Carolina is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s poly sci degrees to 11 students in 2020-2021.
Fayetteville State University not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #18 on our “Best Political Science Schools in North Carolina” list. The yearly cost to attend Fayetteville State University is $5,366 for North Carolina Poly Sci students whose families make $0-$30k.
Read more about Political Science at Fayetteville State University
Western Carolina University did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Poly Sci Schools in North Carolina For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #13. Western Carolina University is located in Cullowhee, North Carolina and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 24 ’s poly sci degrees to qualified students.
In addition to being on our north carolina poly sci students whose families make $0-$30k list, WCU has also earned the #13 rank in our “Best Political Science Schools in North Carolina” ranking. It costs about $9,305 for north carolina poly sci students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend WCU.
Read more about Political Science at Western Carolina University
With a ranking of #14, University of North Carolina at Pembroke did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Poly Sci Schools in North Carolina For Those Making $0-$30k list. This medium-sized school is located in Pembroke, North Carolina, and it awarded 24 ’s poly sci degrees in 2020-2021.
UNC Pembroke also made our “Best Political Science Schools in North Carolina” list, coming in at #17. The estimated yearly cost for UNC Pembroke is $8,412 for North Carolina Poly Sci students whose families make $0-$30k.
Read more about Political Science at University of North Carolina at Pembroke
Winston - Salem State University landed the #15 spot on the 2023 Best Value Poly Sci Schools in North Carolina For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. WSSU is a medium-sized public school situated in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. It awarded 12 ’s poly sci degrees in 2020-2021.
WSSU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #15 on our “Best Political Science Schools in North Carolina” list. The yearly cost to attend WSSU is $10,304 for north carolina poly sci students whose families make $0-$30k.
Read full report on Political Science at WSSU
Elon University came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Poly Sci Schools in North Carolina For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Elon, North Carolina is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out ’s poly sci degrees to 84 students in 2020-2021.
Elon also took the #4 spot in our “Best Political Science Schools in North Carolina” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Elon University is $27,491 for North Carolina Poly Sci students whose families make $0-$30k.
The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 90%.
Read more about Political Science at Elon
North Carolina Central University came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Poly Sci Schools in North Carolina For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in Durham, North Carolina, this medium-sized public school handed out 36 degrees to qualified ’s poly sci students in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our north carolina poly sci students whose families make $0-$30k list, North Carolina Central University has also earned the #16 rank in our “Best Political Science Schools in North Carolina” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for North Carolina Central University is $12,249 for North Carolina Poly Sci students whose families make $0-$30k.
Read full report on Political Science at North Carolina Central University
With a ranking of #18, Campbell University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Poly Sci Schools in North Carolina For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Buies Creek, North Carolina, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school awarded 10 degrees to qualified ’s poly sci students in 2020-2021.
In addition to being on our north carolina poly sci students whose families make $0-$30k list, Campbell has also earned the #11 rank in our “Best Political Science Schools in North Carolina” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Campbell University is $21,152 for north carolina poly sci students whose families make $0-$30k.
The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.5% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.
Read more about Political Science at Campbell
Focus on a Specific Degree Level
Switch to a More General Major
Switch to a Similar Major
Switch to a Different Ranking Method
Notes and References
References
- 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).
- Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.
Read more about our data sources and methodologies
- *Average salary, average net price, and average tuition and fees are for the top schools only.
- Some schools otherwise deserving of recognition may have been removed from this ranking in the event that new data identified post-publication warranted it, or at the request of the school.
Credits
college factual
