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2024 Best Schools for the Money (Income $0-$30k) in North Carolina for Associate Degrees

55 Colleges
$3,782 Avg Net Price (With Aid)*
65% Discount Rate*

It's not easy to decide which school to attend when you have so many options available. College Factual has developed its Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) in North Carolina ranking as one thing you can use to help make this decision. The amount of financial aid you could receive at various schools, including some with high sticker prices, may surprise you.

See What's Included in This Value Report:

Your Choice of School Matters

Our analysis looked at 55 schools in North Carolina to determine which ones have the best value Associate Degree programs. To come up with this ranking of the best value schools, we look at factors that are all objective measurements. In the next few paragraphs, we'll talk a little about what we use in our analysis and why.

Our Methodology

To calculate the value of a school in our Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) in North Carolina ranking, we first consider its average net price of students from families making $0-$30k a year. The net price is the sum of room and board, tuition, and fees minus any financial aid that that the student receives. But, a school that excels in providing value for your money must also be a great school overall as well.

To take this into account we consider a college's overall Best Colleges ranking which itself looks at a host of different factors like degree completion, educational resources, student body caliber and post-graduation earnings for the school as a whole.

Find out more about our best value ranking methodology.

Keep scrolling for the top schools in this ranking or select one of the other rankings methods below.

Without Aid Best Value Associate Degrees
With Aid (All Income Levels) Best Value Associate Degrees
With Aid (Income $30-$48k) Best Value Associate Degrees
With Aid (Income $48-$75k) Best Value Associate Degrees
With Aid (Income $75-$110k) Best Value Associate Degrees
With Aid (Income Over $110k) Best Value Associate Degrees
Want to see the list of best value schools for families with specific income levels or whether or not aid is being applied? Click on one of the tiles above. If you'd rather work on your degree in a specific area of the country, you might be interested in our rankings by place. Also, you may want to check out our other college rankings.

If you know what major you want to study, check out our list of the best value schools by major. If you're interested in other degree levels, you can view one of the lists below.

Best Value Associate Degree Schools (Income $0-$30k) in North Carolina

Learn more about these excellent schools below:

1
NC State crest
North Carolina State University
Raleigh, North Carolina

Our analysis found North Carolina State University to be the best value (income $0-$30k) school for associate degrees in North Carolina in this year’s ranking. NC State is located in Raleigh, North Carolina and has a large student population. It is a public school.

In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, North Carolina State University is ranked #1 for quality in the state of North Carolina. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $0-$30k per year is $5,784.

Full North Carolina State University Value Report

2
Cleveland Community College crest
Cleveland Community College
Shelby, North Carolina

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Cleveland Community College. It ranked #2 on our 2024 Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) in North Carolina list. Cleveland Community College is a small public school located in Shelby, North Carolina.

In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, Cleveland Community College is ranked #6 for quality in the state of North Carolina.

Read full value report on Cleveland Community College

3
Durham Technical Community College crest
Durham Technical Community College
Durham, North Carolina

Out of the 55 associate degree schools in North Carolina that were part of this year’s ranking, Durham Technical Community College landed the #3 spot on the list. Durham Technical Community College is a small public school situated in Durham, North Carolina.

In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, Durham Technical Community College is ranked #9 for quality in the state of North Carolina. Students from families who make $0-$30k a year pay an annual average net price of $864.

Learn More About Value at Durham Technical Community College

4
Wake Technical Community College crest
Wake Technical Community College
Raleigh, North Carolina

A rank of #4 on our Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) in North Carolina list means Wake Technical Community College is a great place for students working on their degree. Wake Technical Community College is a large public school located in Raleigh, North Carolina.

In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, Wake Technical Community College is ranked #3 for quality in the state of North Carolina. Students from families who make $0-$30k a year pay an annual average net price of $3,625.

Read full value report on Wake Technical Community College

5
FTCC crest
Fayetteville Technical Community College
Fayetteville, North Carolina

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Fayetteville Technical Community College. It ranked #5 on our 2024 Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) in North Carolina list. FTCC is a public institution located in Fayetteville, North Carolina.

Not only is Fayetteville Technical Community College a great value, but it is also ranked #12 in North Carolina for overall quality. Students from families who make $0-$30k a year pay an annual average net price of $2,256.

Learn More About Value at Fayetteville Technical Community College

6
Rowan-Cabarrus Community College crest
Rowan-Cabarrus Community College
Salisbury, North Carolina

Rowan-Cabarrus Community College landed the #6 spot on the 2024 Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) in North Carolina ranking. Rowan-Cabarrus Community College is a public institution located in Salisbury, North Carolina.

Not only is Rowan-Cabarrus Community College a great value, but it is also ranked #20 in North Carolina for overall quality. Students from families who make $0-$30k a year pay an annual average net price of $2,008.

Full Rowan-Cabarrus Community College Value Report

7
Pitt Community College crest
Pitt Community College
Winterville, North Carolina

Pitt Community College landed the #7 spot on the 2024 Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) in North Carolina ranking. Pitt Community College is a public institution located in Winterville, North Carolina.

Pitt Community College has the honor of being ranked #13 in North Carolina for overall quality on top of being a good value. Students from families who make $0-$30k a year pay an annual average net price of $3,116.

Learn More About Value at Pitt Community College

8
Beaufort County Community College crest
Beaufort County Community College
Washington, North Carolina

Beaufort County Community College did quite well in the 2024 Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) in North Carolina ranking, coming in at #8. Beaufort County Community College is a small public school located in Washington, North Carolina.

In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, Beaufort County Community College is ranked #7 for quality in the state of North Carolina. Students from families who make $0-$30k a year pay an annual average net price of $3,857.

Full Beaufort County Community College Value Report

9
Lenoir Community College crest
Lenoir Community College
Kinston, North Carolina

Lenoir Community College landed the #9 spot on the 2024 Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) in North Carolina ranking. Located in Kinston, North Carolina, the school is a small public institution.

In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, Lenoir Community College is ranked #15 for quality in the state of North Carolina. Students from families who make $0-$30k a year pay an annual average net price of $3,678.

Read full value report on Lenoir Community College

10
Southwestern Community College crest
Southwestern Community College
Sylva, North Carolina

Southwestern Community College came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) in North Carolina ranking. Southwestern Community College is a small public school located in Sylva, North Carolina.

Not only is Southwestern Community College a great value, but it is also ranked #43 in North Carolina for overall quality. Students from families who make $0-$30k a year pay an annual average net price of $196.

Learn More About Value at Southwestern Community College

11
Forsyth Tech crest
Forsyth Technical Community College
Winston-Salem, North Carolina

Forsyth Technical Community College did quite well in the 2024 Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) in North Carolina ranking, coming in at #11. Forsyth Tech is located in Winston-Salem, North Carolina and has a medium-sized student population. It is a public school.

Not only is Forsyth Technical Community College a great value, but it is also ranked #10 in North Carolina for overall quality. Students from families who make $0-$30k a year pay an annual average net price of $4,984.

Read full value report on Forsyth Technical Community College

12
Central Piedmont Community College crest
Central Piedmont Community College
Charlotte, North Carolina

Central Piedmont Community College ranked #12 on this year’s Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) in North Carolina list. This fairly large public school is located in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Central Piedmont Community College has the honor of being ranked #5 in North Carolina for overall quality on top of being a good value. Students from families who make $0-$30k a year pay an annual average net price of $5,670.

Full Central Piedmont Community College Value Report

13
Edgecombe Community College crest
Edgecombe Community College
Tarboro, North Carolina

Edgecombe Community College did quite well in the 2024 Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) in North Carolina ranking, coming in at #13. Tarboro, North Carolina is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. It is a public school.

Edgecombe Community College has the honor of being ranked #26 in North Carolina for overall quality on top of being a good value. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $0-$30k per year is $3,634.

Learn More About Value at Edgecombe Community College

14
Wayne Community College crest
Wayne Community College
Goldsboro, North Carolina

Wayne Community College came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) in North Carolina ranking. Wayne Community College is a small public school located in Goldsboro, North Carolina.

In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, Wayne Community College is ranked #18 for quality in the state of North Carolina. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $0-$30k per year is $5,035.

Read full value report on Wayne Community College

15
Johnston Community College crest
Johnston Community College
Smithfield, North Carolina

Johnston Community College landed the #15 spot on the 2024 Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) in North Carolina ranking. Located in Smithfield, North Carolina, the school is a small public institution.

Johnston Community College has the honor of being ranked #4 in North Carolina for overall quality on top of being a good value. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $0-$30k per year is $6,497.

Learn More About Value at Johnston Community College

16
Central Carolina Community College crest
Central Carolina Community College
Sanford, North Carolina

Central Carolina Community College ranked #16 on this year’s Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) in North Carolina list. Central Carolina Community College is a small public school located in Sanford, North Carolina.

Not only is Central Carolina Community College a great value, but it is also ranked #21 in North Carolina for overall quality. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $0-$30k per year is $4,581.

Read full value report on Central Carolina Community College

17
CFCC crest
Cape Fear Community College
Wilmington, North Carolina

Cape Fear Community College ranked #17 on this year’s Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) in North Carolina list. Wilmington, North Carolina is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. It is a public school.

In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, Cape Fear Community College is ranked #27 for quality in the state of North Carolina. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $0-$30k per year is $3,865.

Learn More About Value at Cape Fear Community College

18
Richmond Community College crest
Richmond Community College
Hamlet, North Carolina

Richmond Community College ranked #18 on this year’s Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) in North Carolina list. Richmond Community College is a small public school located in Hamlet, North Carolina.

Not only is Richmond Community College a great value, but it is also ranked #31 in North Carolina for overall quality. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $0-$30k per year is $3,864.

Read full value report on Richmond Community College

19
South Piedmont Community College crest
South Piedmont Community College
Polkton, North Carolina

With a ranking of #19, South Piedmont Community College did quite well on the 2024 Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) in North Carolina list. South Piedmont Community College is a public institution located in Polkton, North Carolina.

In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, South Piedmont Community College is ranked #29 for quality in the state of North Carolina. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $0-$30k per year is $4,618.

Read full value report on South Piedmont Community College

20
Wilkes Community College crest
Wilkes Community College
Wilkesboro, North Carolina

Wilkes Community College did quite well in the 2024 Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) in North Carolina ranking, coming in at #20. This small public school is located in Wilkesboro, North Carolina.

In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, Wilkes Community College is ranked #47 for quality in the state of North Carolina. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $0-$30k per year is $2,115.

Learn More About Value at Wilkes Community College

21
Robeson Community College crest
Robeson Community College
Lumberton, North Carolina

Robeson Community College came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) in North Carolina ranking. Robeson Community College is located in Lumberton, North Carolina and has a small student population. It is a public school.

Robeson Community College has the honor of being ranked #35 in North Carolina for overall quality on top of being a good value. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $0-$30k per year is $4,228.

Full Robeson Community College Value Report

22
Mitchell Community College crest
Mitchell Community College
Statesville, North Carolina

Mitchell Community College ranked #22 on this year’s Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) in North Carolina list. Located in Statesville, North Carolina, the school is a small public institution.

Not only is Mitchell Community College a great value, but it is also ranked #17 in North Carolina for overall quality. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $0-$30k per year is $6,750.

Read full value report on Mitchell Community College

23
Piedmont Community College crest
Piedmont Community College
Roxboro, North Carolina

With a ranking of #23, Piedmont Community College did quite well on the 2024 Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) in North Carolina list. Located in Roxboro, North Carolina, the school is a small public institution.

Piedmont Community College has the honor of being ranked #45 in North Carolina for overall quality on top of being a good value. Students from families who make $0-$30k a year pay an annual average net price of $3,000.

Learn More About Value at Piedmont Community College

24
CVCC crest
Catawba Valley Community College
Hickory, North Carolina

Catawba Valley Community College landed the #24 spot on the 2024 Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) in North Carolina ranking. This small public school is located in Hickory, North Carolina.

In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, Catawba Valley Community College is ranked #19 for quality in the state of North Carolina. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $0-$30k per year is $6,540.

Learn More About Value at Catawba Valley Community College

25
DCCC crest
Davidson County Community College
Thomasville, North Carolina

Davidson County Community College landed the #25 spot on the 2024 Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) in North Carolina ranking. DCCC is a public institution located in Thomasville, North Carolina.

Not only is Davidson County Community College a great value, but it is also ranked #32 in North Carolina for overall quality. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $0-$30k per year is $4,721.

Full Davidson County Community College Value Report

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Notes and References

Footnotes

*These averages are for the top 25 schools only.

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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