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Is North Carolina Central University worth it?
A first pass affordability and outcome read for North Carolina Central, using national average inputs. Run your own numbers for a personalized score.
Worth-It Score
Stretch
North Carolina Central sits in the stretch band for a typical family. The long-run earnings picture at $46,956 helps, but median debt of $26,000 plus yearly net price of $16,708 creates a tighter path. For context, North Carolina Central's net price is about 6% above the typical 4-year, public school. It can work, but the financing plan has to be deliberate.
Is the price fair?
Compared to 774 similar 4-year, public schools
This school
$13,884
/yrAverage school like this
$13,155
/yrNet price is slightly above average
You'd pay about $730 more per year than the typical student at a similar school. Over 4 years that's roughly $3,000 in extra cost.
Score breakdown
The public version of the score weighs affordability, after graduation outcomes, and repayment burden.
Affordability
40% weight
The yearly net price sits in a range that leaves more room for family cash flow and lower borrowing.
Outcome
40% weight
The outcome data does not create enough margin to fully offset the cost.
Repayment
20% weight
Median debt stays in a more comfortable repayment range for a typical graduate.
The numbers behind the score
Median net price per year
$16,708
Median earnings 10 years out
$46,956
Median debt at graduation
$26,000
Graduation rate
44%
At North Carolina Central, a typical graduate carries about $26,000 in student debt and earns roughly $46,956 ten years after enrolling. On a standard 10-year repayment plan, that works out to about $296 per month, or 8% of pre-tax income. That sits inside a borrower comfort range for many graduates.
How earnings compare to a high school diploma
Graduates earn $17,612 more than the typical working high school graduate in North Carolina ($29,344) ten years after entering this school. A federal rule finalized in July 2026 ties each undergraduate program's federal loan eligibility to a comparison like this one, with the first calculations expected in 2027.
The national figure is $31,269. The Department of Education uses it instead of the state figure when fewer than half of a school's students come from its state.
70% of former students here earned more than the typical high school graduate ten years after entry, by College Scorecard's own measure.
Context, not a federal determination. The benchmarks are the Department of Education's published thresholds (2024 notice, based on 2022 Census data); thresholds under the 2026 rule have not been released yet. The official test looks at each program's graduates four years after completion; our figure is College Scorecard's median for the whole school, ten years after entry. How this works
Program earnings vs. the federal benchmark
Median earnings of working graduates four years after finishing each undergraduate program, next to the benchmark the federal earnings test uses: the typical working high school graduate aged 25–34 in North Carolina ($29,344).
Fine and Studio Arts
Bachelor's degree · 26 working graduates counted
$42,067
$12,723 above the benchmark
Hospitality Administration/Management
Bachelor's degree · 19 working graduates counted
$42,085
$12,741 above the benchmark
Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Facilities Management
Bachelor's degree · 62 working graduates counted
$42,426
$13,082 above the benchmark
Communication and Media Studies
Bachelor's degree · 110 working graduates counted
$43,230
$13,886 above the benchmark
Social Sciences, General
Bachelor's degree · 102 working graduates counted
$43,859
$14,515 above the benchmark
Psychology, General
Bachelor's degree · 106 working graduates counted
$44,053
$14,709 above the benchmark
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
Bachelor's degree · 63 working graduates counted
$44,678
$15,334 above the benchmark
Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences, General
Bachelor's degree · 120 working graduates counted
$46,136
$16,792 above the benchmark
Political Science and Government
Bachelor's degree · 40 working graduates counted
$47,317
$17,973 above the benchmark
History
Bachelor's degree · 16 working graduates counted
$48,047
$18,703 above the benchmark
15 other undergraduate programs here have no four-year earnings figure, usually because too few graduates were counted to publish one. That says nothing about how those programs do. See every program on College Scorecard
An estimate, not an official determination. Under a federal rule taking effect July 1, 2027, programs below this benchmark in official results may face limits on federal student loans; Pell Grants are not affected. The official test uses finer program categories, different graduating classes and the Department's own records; its first results are expected in 2027. Programs that train for tipped jobs, such as cosmetology and massage, won't be rated on 2025 earnings, and the Department decides which programs qualify. Earnings: College Scorecard field-of-study data (released Oct 15, 2026). Benchmark: Department of Education published thresholds (2024 notice).
Represent North Carolina Central University and think a figure here is wrong? Request a correction and we'll check it against the latest College Scorecard release.
What this means for your family
North Carolina Central is a public four year school in Durham, NC. For many families, the key question is whether the published value here beats cheaper in state or regional alternatives once your real aid offer arrives.
Similar schools worth comparing
These schools share a similar sector, geography, or price range.
Public 4-year
East Carolina
Greenville, NC
Worth-It Score: 70/100
Median net price: $16,880
Public 4-year
North Carolina State University at Raleigh
Raleigh, NC
Worth-It Score: 87/100
Median net price: $16,486
Public 4-year
Appalachian State
Boone, NC
Worth-It Score: 74/100
Median net price: $16,082
Public 4-year
University of North Carolina at Charlotte
Charlotte, NC
Worth-It Score: 76/100
Median net price: $15,142
Public 4-year
University of North Carolina Asheville
Asheville, NC
Worth-It Score: 63/100
Median net price: $14,999
Common questions about North Carolina Central
The median net price at North Carolina Central is $16,708 per year. That is the average yearly price after typical grant aid for students in the public federal data, not the published sticker price.
Get your personalized Worth-It score
National averages are a starting point. Plug in your actual aid offer, intended major, and family situation to get a score that reflects your specific picture.
Looking at public universities options in North Carolina? See the most affordable public universities in North Carolina →
The Worth-It Score weighs affordability (40%), after graduation outcomes (40%), and repayment burden (20%). Underlying data points come from publicly available federal higher education reporting. See full methodology →
What families actually paid
The published price is rarely what anyone pays. Pick a household income range to see what students at North Carolina Central in that range paid on average, after grants and scholarships.
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All students who received aid
$16,708a year, on average
Average for first-time, full-time students who received federal financial aid, 2024-25. It does not include transfer or part-time students, and it is an average rather than a quote — what you pay depends on your own circumstances and the aid this school offers you. Source: U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS.
Now work out how to pay for it, cheapest money first.
A Worth-It Score tells you whether the price is justified. The 2026-27 funding guide covers the borrowing order, what changed on July 1, 2026, and the current limits.
Open the 2026-27 funding guide →