College Factual  by our College Data Analytics Team
       Unbiased Factual Guarantee

2024 Best Schools for the Money (With Aid) in North Carolina for Associate Degrees

55 Colleges
$5,710 Avg Net Price (With Aid)*
47% Discount Rate*

There are lots of options to choose from today when trying to decide which school to attend. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (With Aid) in North Carolina ranking is part of that endeavor. You may be surprised that some normally high-priced schools offer very generous financial aid packages to those who qualify.

In This Year's Value Report:

Finding Your Best College Match

We analyzed 55 schools across North Carolina to determine which have the best value Associate Degree programs. Our ranking for the best value schools is based on objective factors. We steer clear of subjective measures since they don't give a clear picture when determining how one school compares to another. We explain more about what we look at and why we do so below.

Our Methodology

The first step of determing the value of a school in our Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (With Aid) in North Carolina ranking is to look at the school's average net price - the sum of tuition, fees, and room and board minus any financial aid awarded to the student. In addition, the overall quality of a school is important to ensure a good education, not just how much it costs.

To make it into this list a school must offer a quality education like the schools in our Best Colleges ranking. This ranking considers factors such as graduation rates, overall graduate earnings and other educational resources to identify great colleges and universities.

We go into more detail on these factors on our best value ranking methodology page.

More Rankings to View

You can scroll down to see the top schools for this ranking, but you may also want to view some of the other ranking methods listed below.

Without Aid Best Value Associate Degrees
With Aid (Income $0-$30k) 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
To get a better picture of the best value schools for your income range or for whether or not you'll receive aid, click on one of the tiles above. You may also want to narrow this list by location to find the best value schools nearest you. In addition, we've put together a number of other college rankings that may help you in your search.

Know what field you want to major in? Make sure you check out our best value schools by major. In addition, you can select one of the links below to see the best value colleges for other degree levels.

Best Value Associate Degree Schools (With Aid) in North Carolina

Learn more about these excellent schools below:

1
Cleveland Community College crest
Cleveland Community College
Shelby, North Carolina

Our analysis found Cleveland Community College to be the best value (with aid) school for associate degrees in North Carolina in this year’s ranking. Shelby, North Carolina is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. It is a public school.

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. The average net price of the school for those who receive financial aid is about $1,048 a year.

Full Cleveland Community College Value Report

2
Wake Technical Community College crest
Wake Technical Community College
Raleigh, North Carolina

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Wake Technical Community College. It ranked #2 on our 2024 Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (With Aid) in North Carolina list. Wake Technical Community College is a large public school situated 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. The average net price of the school for those who receive financial aid is about $4,980 a year.

Read full value report on Wake Technical Community College

3
FTCC crest
Fayetteville Technical Community College
Fayetteville, North Carolina

A rank of #3 on our Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (With Aid) in North Carolina list means Fayetteville Technical Community College is a great place for students working on their degree. Fayetteville Technical Community College is a medium-sized public school located in Fayetteville, North Carolina.

Fayetteville Technical Community College has the honor of being ranked #12 in North Carolina for overall quality on top of being a good value. The average net price of the school for those who receive financial aid is about $3,231 a year.

Full Fayetteville Technical Community College Value Report

4
NC State crest
North Carolina State University
Raleigh, North Carolina

Out of the 55 associate degree schools in North Carolina that were part of this year’s ranking, North Carolina State University landed the #4 spot on the list. This large public school is located in Raleigh, North Carolina.

North Carolina State University has the honor of being ranked #1 in North Carolina for overall quality on top of being a good value. The average net price of the school for those who receive financial aid is about $14,328 a year.

Learn More About Value at North Carolina State University

5
Pitt Community College crest
Pitt Community College
Winterville, North Carolina

A rank of #5 on our Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (With Aid) in North Carolina list means Pitt Community College is a great place for students working on their degree. Located in Winterville, North Carolina, the school is a medium-sized public institution.

Not only is Pitt Community College a great value, but it is also ranked #13 in North Carolina for overall quality. For those students who receive financial aid, the yearly average net price of the school is around $4,453.

Learn More About Value at Pitt Community College

6
Durham Technical Community College crest
Durham Technical Community College
Durham, North Carolina

Durham Technical Community College came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (With Aid) in North Carolina ranking. This small public school is located in Durham, North Carolina.

Not only is Durham Technical Community College a great value, but it is also ranked #9 in North Carolina for overall quality. The average net price of the school for those who receive financial aid is about $4,844 a year.

Learn More About Value at Durham Technical Community College

7
Johnston Community College crest
Johnston Community College
Smithfield, North Carolina

Johnston Community College landed the #7 spot on the 2024 Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (With Aid) in North Carolina ranking. Johnston Community College is a public institution located in Smithfield, North Carolina.

In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, Johnston Community College is ranked #4 for quality in the state of North Carolina. For those students who receive financial aid, the yearly average net price of the school is around $6,430.

Read full value report on Johnston Community College

8
Central Piedmont Community College crest
Central Piedmont Community College
Charlotte, North Carolina

Central Piedmont Community College did quite well in the 2024 Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (With Aid) in North Carolina ranking, coming in at #8. Central Piedmont Community College is a fairly large public school 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. For those students who receive financial aid, the yearly average net price of the school is around $6,600.

Full Central Piedmont Community College Value Report

9
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 (With Aid) in North Carolina ranking, coming in at #9. Forsyth Tech is a public institution located in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

Not only is Forsyth Technical Community College a great value, but it is also ranked #10 in North Carolina for overall quality. For those students who receive financial aid, the yearly average net price of the school is around $6,040.

Full Forsyth Technical Community College Value Report

10
Lenoir Community College crest
Lenoir Community College
Kinston, North Carolina

Lenoir Community College ranked #10 on this year’s Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (With Aid) in North Carolina list. Lenoir Community College is located in Kinston, North Carolina and has a small student population. It is a public school.

Not only is Lenoir Community College a great value, but it is also ranked #15 in North Carolina for overall quality. The average net price of the school for those who receive financial aid is about $5,729 a year.

Full Lenoir Community College Value Report

11
Beaufort County Community College crest
Beaufort County Community College
Washington, North Carolina

Beaufort County Community College ranked #11 on this year’s Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (With Aid) in North Carolina list. Beaufort County Community College is a small public school located in Washington, North Carolina.

Not only is Beaufort County Community College a great value, but it is also ranked #7 in North Carolina for overall quality. The average net price of the school for those who receive financial aid is about $6,704 a year.

Full Beaufort County Community College Value Report

12
Rowan-Cabarrus Community College crest
Rowan-Cabarrus Community College
Salisbury, North Carolina

Rowan-Cabarrus Community College came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (With Aid) in North Carolina ranking. This medium-sized public school is 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. For those students who receive financial aid, the yearly average net price of the school is around $5,356.

Full Rowan-Cabarrus Community College Value Report

13
Wayne Community College crest
Wayne Community College
Goldsboro, North Carolina

Wayne Community College did quite well in the 2024 Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (With Aid) in North Carolina ranking, coming in at #13. Located in Goldsboro, North Carolina, the school is a small public institution.

Wayne Community College has the honor of being ranked #18 in North Carolina for overall quality on top of being a good value. The average net price of the school for those who receive financial aid is about $5,795 a year.

Learn More About Value at Wayne Community College

14
Southwestern Community College crest
Southwestern Community College
Sylva, North Carolina

Southwestern Community College did quite well in the 2024 Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (With Aid) in North Carolina ranking, coming in at #14. Southwestern Community College is a small public school situated 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. The average net price of the school for those who receive financial aid is about $2,744 a year.

Learn More About Value at Southwestern Community College

15
RCC crest
Rockingham Community College
Wentworth, North Carolina

Rockingham Community College did quite well in the 2024 Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (With Aid) in North Carolina ranking, coming in at #15. Wentworth, North Carolina is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. It is a public school.

Rockingham Community College has the honor of being ranked #28 in North Carolina for overall quality on top of being a good value. For those students who receive financial aid, the yearly average net price of the school is around $5,340.

Learn More About Value at Rockingham Community College

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

Central Carolina Community College did quite well in the 2024 Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (With Aid) in North Carolina ranking, coming in at #16. Central Carolina Community College is a small public school situated in Sanford, North Carolina.

In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, Central Carolina Community College is ranked #21 for quality in the state of North Carolina. The average net price of the school for those who receive financial aid is about $6,321 a year.

Full Central Carolina Community College Value Report

17
Richmond Community College crest
Richmond Community College
Hamlet, North Carolina

Richmond Community College did quite well in the 2024 Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (With Aid) in North Carolina ranking, coming in at #17. Located in Hamlet, North Carolina, the school is a small public institution.

Not only is Richmond Community College a great value, but it is also ranked #31 in North Carolina for overall quality. For those students who receive financial aid, the yearly average net price of the school is around $5,091.

Learn More About Value at Richmond Community College

18
South Piedmont Community College crest
South Piedmont Community College
Polkton, North Carolina

South Piedmont Community College ranked #18 on this year’s Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (With Aid) in North Carolina list. Located in Polkton, North Carolina, the school is a small public institution.

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. For those students who receive financial aid, the yearly average net price of the school is around $5,742.

Learn More About Value at South Piedmont Community College

19
Robeson Community College crest
Robeson Community College
Lumberton, North Carolina

Robeson Community College came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (With Aid) in North Carolina ranking. Robeson Community College is a small public school located in Lumberton, North Carolina.

Not only is Robeson Community College a great value, but it is also ranked #35 in North Carolina for overall quality. For those students who receive financial aid, the yearly average net price of the school is around $5,048.

Learn More About Value at Robeson Community College

20
Mitchell Community College crest
Mitchell Community College
Statesville, North Carolina

With a ranking of #20, Mitchell Community College did quite well on the 2024 Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (With Aid) in North Carolina list. Mitchell Community College is located in Statesville, North Carolina and has a small student population. It is a public school.

In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, Mitchell Community College is ranked #17 for quality in the state of North Carolina. For those students who receive financial aid, the yearly average net price of the school is around $7,914.

Full Mitchell Community College Value Report

21
Edgecombe Community College crest
Edgecombe Community College
Tarboro, North Carolina

Edgecombe Community College landed the #21 spot on the 2024 Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (With Aid) in North Carolina ranking. Located in Tarboro, North Carolina, the school is a small public institution.

Edgecombe Community College has the honor of being ranked #26 in North Carolina for overall quality on top of being a good value. For those students who receive financial aid, the yearly average net price of the school is around $6,504.

Read full value report on Edgecombe Community College

22
Wilkes Community College crest
Wilkes Community College
Wilkesboro, North Carolina

Wilkes Community College landed the #22 spot on the 2024 Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (With Aid) in North Carolina ranking. Wilkesboro, North Carolina is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. It is a public school.

Wilkes Community College has the honor of being ranked #47 in North Carolina for overall quality on top of being a good value. The average net price of the school for those who receive financial aid is about $3,411 a year.

Full Wilkes Community College Value Report

23
Southeastern Community College crest
Southeastern Community College
Whiteville, North Carolina

Southeastern Community College did quite well in the 2024 Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (With Aid) in North Carolina ranking, coming in at #23. Whiteville, North Carolina is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. It is a public school.

In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, Southeastern Community College is ranked #49 for quality in the state of North Carolina. The average net price of the school for those who receive financial aid is about $3,428 a year.

Full Southeastern Community College Value Report

24
BCC crest
Bladen Community College
Dublin, North Carolina

Bladen Community College landed the #24 spot on the 2024 Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (With Aid) in North Carolina ranking. This small public school is located in Dublin, North Carolina.

Not only is Bladen Community College a great value, but it is also ranked #23 in North Carolina for overall quality. The average net price of the school for those who receive financial aid is about $7,376 a year.

Full Bladen Community College Value Report

25
CVCC crest
Catawba Valley Community College
Hickory, North Carolina

Catawba Valley Community College came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (With Aid) 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. For those students who receive financial aid, the yearly average net price of the school is around $8,286.

Read full value report on Catawba Valley Community College

View Best Value Associate Degree Schools (With Aid) Nationwide >

All Majors and Fields of Study >

More Rankings >

Notes and References

Footnotes

*These averages are for the top 25 schools only.

More about our data sources and methodologies.

Popular Reports

College Rankings
Best by Location
Degree Guides by Major
Graduate Programs

Compare Your School Options