Engineering Graduate Salaries in North Carolina
Federal earnings data for every North Carolina college offering Engineering, ranked by 10-year median graduate salary. Sourced from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard — real tax-reported income, not surveys.
Engineering in North Carolina. Engineering bachelor's degrees consistently top the federal earnings data for new graduates. ABET-accredited programs are the standard requirement for licensure and most engineering jobs.
Typical career paths: Mechanical Engineer, Civil Engineer, Electrical Engineer, Biomedical Engineer, Environmental Engineer. Median starting salary range: $72,000–$110,000. 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 | $97,800 | $29,612 |
| 2 | Wake Forest University Winston-Salem, NC | $78,158 | $28,719 |
| 3 | Elon University Elon, NC | $74,545 | $41,555 |
| 4 | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chapel Hill, NC | $72,200 | $11,655 |
| 5 | North Carolina State University at Raleigh Raleigh, NC | $68,758 | $17,303 |
| 6 | High Point University High Point, NC | $61,389 | $38,707 |
| 7 | Queens University of Charlotte Charlotte, NC | $57,673 | $30,857 |
| 8 | University of North Carolina at Charlotte Charlotte, NC | $57,289 | $15,435 |
| 9 | East Carolina University Greenville, NC | $55,146 | $15,739 |
| 10 | University of North Carolina Wilmington Wilmington, NC | $54,967 | $20,109 |
| 11 | Campbell University Buies Creek, NC | $54,886 | $24,516 |
| 12 | Western Carolina University Cullowhee, NC | $49,458 | $13,315 |
| 13 | Methodist University Fayetteville, NC | $48,050 | $24,704 |
| 14 | North Carolina A & T State University Greensboro, NC | $44,440 | $10,846 |
| 15 | University of North Carolina Asheville Asheville, NC | $44,030 | $12,250 |
| 16 | Johnson C Smith University Charlotte, NC | $42,680 | $20,894 |
| 17 | Saint Augustine's University Raleigh, NC | $35,730 | $24,313 |
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.
Get personalized Engineering school matches
Take the 3-minute fit quiz — we'll rank these schools (and the rest of the country) by your GPA, budget, and priorities, then email your top 5 with estimated net price after aid.
Engineering salary in other states
Other major salaries in North Carolina
Frequently asked questions
What do Engineering graduates earn in North Carolina?
The median 10-year earnings for Engineering graduates from North Carolina colleges is $55,146, with a range from $35,730 at lower-earning schools to $97,800 at top-earning schools. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
Which North Carolina school has the highest Engineering graduate salary?
Duke University ranks first among North Carolina schools offering Engineering, with a 10-year median graduate salary of $97,800.
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.