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Is University of North Carolina School of the Arts worth it?
A first pass affordability and outcome read for University of North Carolina School of the Arts, using national average inputs. Run your own numbers for a personalized score.
Worth-It Score
Workable
University of North Carolina School of the Arts lands in the workable band for a typical family. Median debt of $26,450 can be carried by median long-run earnings of $46,097, but the margin is not huge. For context, University of North Carolina School of the Arts's net price is about 15% below the typical 4-year, public school. This is the kind of school where your actual aid offer can move the answer meaningfully.
Is the price fair?
Compared to 774 similar 4-year, public schools
This school
$11,163
/yrAverage school like this
$13,155
/yrThis helps your Worth-It Score
You'd pay about $1,992 less per year than the typical student at a similar school. Over 4 years that's roughly $8,000 in savings.
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
$14,859
Median earnings 10 years out
$46,097
Median debt at graduation
$26,450
Graduation rate
79%
At University of North Carolina School of the Arts, a typical graduate carries about $26,450 in student debt and earns roughly $46,097 ten years after enrolling. On a standard 10-year repayment plan, that works out to about $301 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 $4,297 more than the typical high school graduate ($41,800) ten years after entering this school. A federal rule finalized in July 2026 ties undergraduate student-loan eligibility to a comparison like this one, with the first calculations expected in 2027.
66% of former students here out-earned that benchmark ten years after entry, per College Scorecard.
Context, not a federal determination: the official test will use earnings measured four years after completion and thresholds the Department of Education has not yet published, which may vary by state. Our figure is College Scorecard median earnings ten years after entry. How this works
What this means for your family
University of North Carolina School of the Arts is a public four year school in Winston Salem, 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
University of North Carolina Asheville
Asheville, NC
Worth-It Score: 63/100
Median net price: $14,999
Public 4-year
University of North Carolina at Charlotte
Charlotte, NC
Worth-It Score: 76/100
Median net price: $15,142
Public 4-year
Appalachian State
Boone, NC
Worth-It Score: 74/100
Median net price: $16,082
Public 4-year
North Carolina State University at Raleigh
Raleigh, NC
Worth-It Score: 87/100
Median net price: $16,486
Public 4-year
North Carolina Central
Durham, NC
Worth-It Score: 53/100
Median net price: $16,708
Common questions about University of North Carolina School of the Arts
The median net price at University of North Carolina School of the Arts is $14,859 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 University of North Carolina School of the Arts in that range paid on average, after grants and scholarships.
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All students who received aid
$13,140a year, on average
Average for first-time, full-time students who received federal financial aid, 2024. 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 →