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Most affordable private colleges in North Carolina

44 private colleges in North Carolina report net price data, ranging from $11,395 at the lowest to higher costs at more selective schools. The median net price across these is $22,042. North Carolina's private colleges run a bit higher than the national average for the kind. The list below shows the most affordable options, ranked by net price.

Median net price in North Carolina

$22,042

National median for private colleges

$15,832

private colleges reporting in North Carolina

44

The most affordable private colleges in North Carolina, ranked by net price

1

Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary

NC

Net price

$11,395

Receive grant aid

67%

2

Carolina Christian College

NC

Net price

$11,448

Receive grant aid

100%

3

Shaw University

NC

Net price

$14,111

Receive grant aid

97%

4

Heritage Bible College

NC

Net price

$14,219

Receive grant aid

100%

5

Net price

$14,344

Receive grant aid

78%

6

Southeastern Free Will Baptist Bible College

NC

Net price

$14,423

Receive grant aid

100%

7

Livingstone College

NC

Net price

$15,162

Receive grant aid

100%

8

Chowan University

NC

Net price

$15,845

Receive grant aid

100%

9

Manna University

NC

Net price

$16,384

Receive grant aid

38%

10

University of Mount Olive

NC

Net price

$17,893

Receive grant aid

100%

11

Net price

$18,319

Receive grant aid

100%

12

Saint Augustine's University

NC

Net price

$18,373

Receive grant aid

97%

13

Carolina College of Biblical Studies

NC

Net price

$18,745

Receive grant aid

100%

14

Salem College

NC

Net price

$19,000

Receive grant aid

100%

15

Net price

$19,111

Receive grant aid

99%

16

North Carolina Wesleyan University

NC

Net price

$19,111

Receive grant aid

99%

17

Johnson C Smith University

NC

Net price

$19,326

Receive grant aid

98%

18

Greensboro College

NC

Net price

$19,783

Receive grant aid

99%

19

Mars Hill University

NC

Net price

$19,842

Receive grant aid

98%

20

Net price

$20,928

Receive grant aid

100%

21

Pfeiffer University

NC

Net price

$21,402

Receive grant aid

100%

22

Wingate University

NC

Net price

$21,464

Receive grant aid

97%

23

Guilford College

NC

Net price

$22,620

Receive grant aid

100%

24

Meredith College

NC

Net price

$23,405

Receive grant aid

99%

25

Duke University

NC

Net price

$23,422

Receive grant aid

41%

What makes a school affordable here

In North Carolina, the most affordable private colleges share two things in common. First, low published net prices reflect both reasonable sticker prices and meaningful institutional or state aid. Second, a high share of students receive grant aid. At Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, the most affordable on this list, 67% of students receive grant aid. Net price reflects what a typical family actually pays, not the sticker price you see at first glance. A school with a $50,000 sticker price and a $10,000 net price is more affordable for most families than a school with a $20,000 sticker and a $19,000 net price.

Affordable colleges in North Carolina, other types

Affordable private colleges in other states

Find your personalized cost

National rankings use publicly available federal cost data. Plug in your actual aid offer and family situation for a Worth-It Score that reflects your specific picture.

Affordability rankings use publicly available federal higher-ed cost data. Net price reflects the average cost a family pays after grants and scholarships are subtracted from total cost of attendance, for the 2022-23 reporting year. See full methodology →