Education Graduate Salaries in North Carolina
Federal earnings data for every North Carolina college offering Education, ranked by 10-year median graduate salary. Sourced from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard — real tax-reported income, not surveys.
Education in North Carolina. Special Education has 1% unemployment and 98% of districts report difficulty filling roles. Teacher shortages are the most severe in 30+ years.
Typical career paths: Elementary Teacher, Special Education Teacher, High School Teacher, School Counselor, Principal/Administrator. Median starting salary range: $45,000–$65,000. School choice can swing graduate earnings by 30–60% — which is why we rank by federal data, not prestige.
| # | School | 10-yr earnings | Net price/yr |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Duke University Durham, NC | $113,937 | $23,706 |
| 2 | Wake Forest University Winston-Salem, NC | $104,443 | $28,165 |
| 3 | Davidson College Davidson, NC | $89,297 | $15,060 |
| 4 | Elon University Elon, NC | $82,524 | $35,785 |
| 5 | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chapel Hill, NC | $81,094 | $11,305 |
| 6 | North Carolina State University at Raleigh Raleigh, NC | $77,810 | $16,486 |
| 7 | High Point University High Point, NC | $73,547 | $41,019 |
| 8 | University of North Carolina at Charlotte Charlotte, NC | $63,486 | $15,142 |
| 9 | University of North Carolina Wilmington Wilmington, NC | $61,019 | $19,570 |
| 10 | East Carolina University Greenville, NC | $60,387 | $16,880 |
| 11 | Campbell University Buies Creek, NC | $59,026 | $25,057 |
| 12 | Queens University of Charlotte Charlotte, NC | $58,736 | $29,421 |
| 13 | Wingate University Wingate, NC | $57,646 | $21,511 |
| 14 | Appalachian State University Boone, NC | $57,488 | $16,082 |
| 15 | University of Mount Olive Mount Olive, NC | $54,851 | $18,927 |
| 16 | Lenoir-Rhyne University Hickory, NC | $54,752 | $18,641 |
| 17 | Pfeiffer University Misenheimer, NC | $54,743 | $22,696 |
| 18 | Methodist University Fayetteville, NC | $54,558 | $25,760 |
| 19 | Meredith College Raleigh, NC | $54,417 | $22,801 |
| 20 | Belmont Abbey College Belmont, NC | $53,850 | $25,416 |
| 21 | Western Carolina University Cullowhee, NC | $53,764 | $13,025 |
| 22 | Gardner-Webb University Boiling Springs, NC | $53,543 | $21,150 |
| 23 | University of North Carolina at Greensboro Greensboro, NC | $53,402 | $12,291 |
| 24 | Montreat College Montreat, NC | $53,114 | $25,095 |
| 25 | Barton College Wilson, NC | $52,876 | $24,367 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Earnings are 10-year median income for graduates of each institution (all majors, since program-level earnings are released only for select fields). Refreshed every 24 hours.
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Frequently asked questions
What do Education graduates earn in North Carolina?
The median 10-year earnings for Education graduates from North Carolina colleges is $53,258, with a range from $37,560 at lower-earning schools to $113,937 at top-earning schools. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
Which North Carolina school has the highest Education graduate salary?
Duke University ranks first among North Carolina schools offering Education, with a 10-year median graduate salary of $113,937.
How is "graduate salary" measured?
These figures come from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard. They reflect actual federal tax-reported income of all graduates 10 years after enrollment — including those who pursued graduate school and those who took industry jobs. They are not survey-based.
Are these salaries adjusted for cost of living?
No. These are raw federal earnings figures. North Carolina salaries should be considered in context of local cost of living. For example, $90,000 in California has different purchasing power than $90,000 in North Carolina.