Top 50 Best Associate Degree Programs in North Carolina by ROI

Every Associate Degree program in North Carolina ranked by estimated 20-year net return on investment across all majors. Data from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.

Programs in North Carolina

344

Colleges with salary data

Average 20-Yr Net ROI

-$169,934

Across all North Carolina programs

Average Annual Cost

$15,385

Cost of attendance

#	College	Major	20-Yr Net ROI	Median Salary	Annual Cost	Avg Debt
1	Cape Fear Community College Grad rate: 31.4%	Precision Metal Working.	+$819,186	$84,357	$13,977	N/A	Full ROI →
2	Richmond Community College Grad rate: 37.5%	Electrical and Power Transmission Installers.	+$724,460	$80,537	$15,715	$11,000	Full ROI →
3	Durham Technical Community College Grad rate: 29.7%	Ophthalmic and Optometric Support Services and Allied Professions.	+$511,050	$68,627	$10,745	N/A	Full ROI →
4	Durham Technical Community College Grad rate: 29.7%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$401,015	$64,573	$10,745	$21,448	Full ROI →
5	Stanly Community College Grad rate: 44.1%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$385,166	$62,543	$12,847	N/A	Full ROI →
6	Western Piedmont Community College Grad rate: 38.1%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$378,379	$63,274	$15,451	$11,999	Full ROI →
7	McDowell Technical Community College Grad rate: 48.7%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$361,662	$61,778	$16,949	N/A	Full ROI →
8	Central Carolina Community College Grad rate: 36.2%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$351,798	$60,635	$10,451	N/A	Full ROI →
9	Tri-County Community College Grad rate: 44.8%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$342,958	$60,606	$14,581	N/A	Full ROI →
10	Wake Technical Community College Grad rate: 31.3%	Engineering, General.	+$340,128	$61,441	$16,798	$11,182	Full ROI →
11	Fayetteville Technical Community College Grad rate: 18.5%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$337,745	$61,080	$11,845	$14,937	Full ROI →
12	Wilson Community College Grad rate: 27.9%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$312,402	$60,383	$13,807	$20,477	Full ROI →
13	Mitchell Community College Grad rate: 23.9%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$312,242	$59,180	$15,679	N/A	Full ROI →
14	Cape Fear Community College Grad rate: 31.4%	Dental Support Services and Allied Professions.	+$309,506	$58,873	$13,977	N/A	Full ROI →
15	Vance-Granville Community College Grad rate: 37.1%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$307,185	$59,713	$13,525	$14,833	Full ROI →
16	Isothermal Community College Grad rate: 50.9%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$302,198	$58,470	$13,601	N/A	Full ROI →
17	Piedmont Community College Grad rate: 34.3%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$302,076	$59,453	$16,067	$11,000	Full ROI →
18	Haywood Community College Grad rate: 35.5%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$301,228	$58,416	$13,546	N/A	Full ROI →
19	Sampson Community College Grad rate: 42.2%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$298,721	$59,220	$14,337	$12,596	Full ROI →
20	Cape Fear Community College Grad rate: 31.4%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$297,726	$58,284	$13,977	N/A	Full ROI →
21	Central Piedmont Community College Grad rate: 24.3%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$293,249	$58,846	$10,951	$16,125	Full ROI →
22	Brunswick Community College Grad rate: 43.1%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$279,146	$57,234	$12,767	N/A	Full ROI →
23	Central Piedmont Community College Grad rate: 24.3%	Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies.	+$276,698	$56,930	$10,951	N/A	Full ROI →
24	Wake Technical Community College Grad rate: 31.3%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$268,771	$58,789	$16,798	$24,750	Full ROI →
25	Central Piedmont Community College Grad rate: 24.3%	Dental Support Services and Allied Professions.	+$268,118	$56,501	$10,951	N/A	Full ROI →
26	Davidson-Davie Community College Grad rate: 39.1%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$267,564	$57,893	$14,779	$15,361	Full ROI →
27	Strayer University-North Carolina	Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management.	+$266,245	$57,214	N/A	$28,174	Full ROI →
28	Coastal Carolina Community College Grad rate: 39.7%	Dental Support Services and Allied Professions.	+$265,360	$56,781	$15,130	N/A	Full ROI →
29	Coastal Carolina Community College Grad rate: 39.7%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$257,307	$56,969	$15,130	$8,750	Full ROI →
30	Bladen Community College Grad rate: 38.5%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$255,212	$56,668	$11,271	$11,560	Full ROI →
31	Pitt Community College Grad rate: 28.0%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$252,898	$57,532	$15,807	$19,354	Full ROI →
32	Wake Technical Community College Grad rate: 31.3%	Dental Support Services and Allied Professions.	+$250,104	$56,185	$16,798	N/A	Full ROI →
33	Nash Community College Grad rate: 46.2%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$248,282	$57,105	$11,198	$23,275	Full ROI →
34	College of the Albemarle Grad rate: 40.5%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$246,726	$56,534	$13,202	$13,000	Full ROI →
35	Fayetteville Technical Community College Grad rate: 18.5%	Dental Support Services and Allied Professions.	+$245,470	$55,458	$11,845	N/A	Full ROI →
36	Rowan-Cabarrus Community College Grad rate: 30.4%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$242,484	$56,405	$14,666	$12,062	Full ROI →
37	Richmond Community College Grad rate: 37.5%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$241,315	$56,226	$15,715	$8,722	Full ROI →
38	Forsyth Technical Community College Grad rate: 28.2%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$237,866	$56,388	$11,617	$19,748	Full ROI →
39	Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College Grad rate: 31.7%	Dental Support Services and Allied Professions.	+$230,754	$55,144	$16,063	N/A	Full ROI →
40	Roanoke-Chowan Community College Grad rate: 27.7%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$222,740	$54,293	$11,560	N/A	Full ROI →
41	Guilford Technical Community College Grad rate: 29.5%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$220,236	$56,258	$18,425	$20,795	Full ROI →
42	Wayne Community College Grad rate: 51.4%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$219,878	$54,125	$11,311	N/A	Full ROI →
43	Cleveland Community College Grad rate: 24.7%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$218,186	$53,457	$5,477	N/A	Full ROI →
44	Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College Grad rate: 31.7%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$215,749	$55,704	$16,063	$19,411	Full ROI →
45	South Piedmont Community College Grad rate: 33.6%	Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions.	+$212,718	$53,887	$12,511	N/A	Full ROI →
46	Beaufort County Community College Grad rate: 40.6%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$210,462	$54,042	$15,189	N/A	Full ROI →
47	Vance-Granville Community College Grad rate: 37.1%	Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions.	+$206,030	$53,654	$13,525	N/A	Full ROI →
48	Johnston Community College Grad rate: 37.6%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$199,480	$54,121	$12,582	$13,167	Full ROI →
49	Alamance Community College Grad rate: 31.0%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$195,660	$54,040	$22,570	N/A	Full ROI →
50	Gardner-Webb University Grad rate: 56.7%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$195,154	$57,989	$48,813	$20,000	Full ROI →

How ROI is calculated

20-Year Net ROI = Gross Earnings (salary × 20) − Total Degree Cost − Debt Payoff (×1.35) − Baseline Opportunity Cost ($42,000 × 20). Data from the U.S. College Scorecard.