by our College Data Analytics TeamIt's not easy to decide which grad school to attend when you have so many options available. College Factual has developed its Best Master's Degree Colleges in North Carolina ranking as one thing you can use to help make this decision.
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After analyzing 35 grad schools in North Carolina, we came up with our list of those that offered the best master's degree programs. To come up with this ranking of the best grad schools, we look at factors that are all objective measurements. We explain more about what we look at and why we do so below.
One measure we use to determine the quality of a school is to look at the average salary of master's graduates during the early years of their career. Recent students who earned a master's degree in North Carolina entered the job market making an average of $56,453 while those in the top 23 schools on our list made an average of $59,643.
Graduate students may also take on a lot of debt while working on their master's so we factor that into our rankings as well. The average debt load at a particular school may not be bad, but it's an important thing to consider in conjunction with post-graduation earnings.
In addition to average post-graduation earnings and average student debt loads, we also look at a host of other factors to determining our Best Master's Degree Schools ranking. Several other factors - such as how much the school spends on educational resources, the demand of the school, the availability of online learning options, and the student body caliber - go into our rankings.
Find out more about our graduate school ranking methodology
Thinking about continuing your education further? Check out our Best Doctorate Degree Schools ranking.
Learn more about these excellent grad schools below:
Our 2024 rankings named Duke University the best grad school in North Carolina in terms of overall quality for students working on their master’s degree. Duke is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Durham, North Carolina. It awarded 3,059 master’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Upon graduation, master’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $76,664 during the early years of their career.
Out of the 35 master’s degree schools in North Carolina that were part of this year’s ranking, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill landed the #2 spot on the list. This large public school is located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, and it awarded 2,304 master’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Those who receive a master’s degree from UNC Chapel Hill go into careers with an average salary of $62,070 during the early years of their career.
The excellent master’s degree programs at North Carolina State University helped the school earn the #3 place on this year’s ranking of the best schools in North Carolina. North Carolina State University is a large public school located in Raleigh, North Carolina that handed out 2,899 master’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Graduates with a master’s degree from NC State make an average of $59,462 per year during the early years of their career.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Wake Forest University. The school came in at #4 in North Carolina on this year’s best master’s degree schools ranking. Wake Forest University is located in Winston-Salem, North Carolina and has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 1,023 master’s degrees to qualified graduate students.
Graduates with a master’s degree from Wake Forest University make an average of $72,493 per year during the early years of their career.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Elon University. It ranked #5 on our 2024 Best Master’s Degree Schools in North Carolina list. Located in Elon, North Carolina, the medium-sized private not-for-profit school handed out 153 master’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Graduates with a master’s degree from Elon make an average of $69,393 per year during the early years of their career.
High Point University came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Master’s Degree Schools in North Carolina ranking. This medium-sized private not-for-profit school is located in High Point, North Carolina, and it awarded 142 master’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The average salary of a graduate with a master’s degree from High Point is $81,952 during the early years of their career.
East Carolina University landed the #7 spot on the 2024 Best Master’s Degree Schools in North Carolina ranking. Greenville, North Carolina is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out master’s degrees to 1,343 students in 2020-2021.
Graduates with a master’s degree from ECU make an average of $53,337 per year during the early years of their career.
University of North Carolina at Charlotte came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Master’s Degree Schools in North Carolina ranking. Charlotte, North Carolina is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out master’s degrees to 1,712 students in 2020-2021.
Graduates with a master’s degree from UNC Charlotte make an average of $60,350 per year during the early years of their career.
With a ranking of #9, Appalachian State University did quite well on the 2024 Best Master’s Degree Schools in North Carolina list. Appalachian State is a large public school situated in Boone, North Carolina. It awarded 654 master’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Upon graduation, master’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $45,351 during the early years of their career.
University of North Carolina at Wilmington landed the #10 spot on the 2024 Best Master’s Degree Schools in North Carolina ranking. Wilmington, North Carolina is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out master’s degrees to 1,137 students in 2020-2021.
The average salary of a graduate with a master’s degree from UNCW is $47,678 during the early years of their career.
With a ranking of #11, Queens University of Charlotte did quite well on the 2024 Best Master’s Degree Schools in North Carolina list. Queens is located in Charlotte, North Carolina and has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 332 master’s degrees to qualified graduate students.
Those who receive a master’s degree from Queens go into careers with an average salary of $64,376 during the early years of their career.
Gardner - Webb University did quite well in the 2024 Best Master’s Degree Schools in North Carolina ranking, coming in at #12. Gardner - Webb is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Boiling Springs, North Carolina. It awarded 397 master’s degrees in 2020-2021.
During the early years of their career, master’s degree graduates from Gardner - Webb make an average of $66,683 a year.
University of North Carolina at Greensboro did quite well in the 2024 Best Master’s Degree Schools in North Carolina ranking, coming in at #13. Greensboro, North Carolina is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out master’s degrees to 891 students in 2020-2021.
Those who receive a master’s degree from UNC Greensboro go into careers with an average salary of $45,774 during the early years of their career.
Western Carolina University came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Master’s Degree Schools in North Carolina ranking. Located in Cullowhee, North Carolina, the fairly large public school handed out 544 master’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The average salary of a graduate with a master’s degree from WCU is $52,188 during the early years of their career.
Campbell University ranked #15 on this year’s Best Master’s Degree Schools in North Carolina list. Located in Buies Creek, North Carolina, the medium-sized private not-for-profit school awarded 261 diplomas to qualifed master’s degree students in 2020-2021.
Those who receive a master’s degree from Campbell go into careers with an average salary of $67,552 during the early years of their career.
Wingate University landed the #16 spot on the 2024 Best Master’s Degree Schools in North Carolina ranking. Located in Wingate, North Carolina, the small private not-for-profit school handed out 143 master’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The average salary of a graduate with a master’s degree from Wingate is $72,537 during the early years of their career.
Lenoir - Rhyne University did quite well in the 2024 Best Master’s Degree Schools in North Carolina ranking, coming in at #17. Hickory, North Carolina is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out master’s degrees to 279 students in 2020-2021.
Graduates with a master’s degree from Lenoir - Rhyne University make an average of $54,194 per year during the early years of their career.
North Carolina A & T State University ranked #18 on this year’s Best Master’s Degree Schools in North Carolina list. NC A&T is a fairly large public school situated in Greensboro, North Carolina. It awarded 372 master’s degrees in 2020-2021.
During the early years of their career, master’s degree graduates from NC A&T make an average of $54,745 a year.
Salem College came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Best Master’s Degree Schools in North Carolina ranking. Salem is a private not-for-profit institution located in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. The school has a small population, and it awarded 30 master’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Upon graduation, master’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $46,313 during the early years of their career.
With a ranking of #20, Methodist University did quite well on the 2024 Best Master’s Degree Schools in North Carolina list. Methodist is a private not-for-profit institution located in Fayetteville, North Carolina. The school has a small population, and it awarded 43 master’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Pfeiffer University came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Best Master’s Degree Schools in North Carolina ranking. Pfeiffer University is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Misenheimer, North Carolina. It awarded 143 master’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Graduates with a master’s degree from Pfeiffer University make an average of $56,811 per year during the early years of their career.
With a ranking of #22, Winston - Salem State University did quite well on the 2024 Best Master’s Degree Schools in North Carolina list. Winston - Salem State University is a medium-sized public school located in Winston-Salem, North Carolina that handed out 105 master’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Those who receive a master’s degree from WSSU go into careers with an average salary of $67,719 during the early years of their career.
North Carolina Wesleyan College landed the #23 spot on the 2024 Best Master’s Degree Schools in North Carolina ranking. North Carolina Wesleyan College is a private not-for-profit institution located in Rocky Mount, North Carolina. The school has a small population, and it awarded 63 master’s degrees in 2020-2021.
University of North Carolina at Pembroke came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Best Master’s Degree Schools in North Carolina ranking. UNC Pembroke is a medium-sized public school situated in Pembroke, North Carolina. It awarded 527 master’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The average salary of a graduate with a master’s degree from UNC Pembroke is $45,124 during the early years of their career.
Fayetteville State University landed the #25 spot on the 2024 Best Master’s Degree Schools in North Carolina ranking. Fayetteville State University is located in Fayetteville, North Carolina and has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 252 master’s degrees to qualified graduate students.
Graduates with a master’s degree from Fayetteville State University make an average of $49,021 per year during the early years of their career.
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More about our data sources and methodologies.
