Top 50 Best Certificate Programs in North Carolina by ROI

Every Certificate 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

165

Colleges with salary data

Average 20-Yr Net ROI

-$232,522

Across all North Carolina programs

Average Annual Cost

$19,021

Cost of attendance

#	College	Major	20-Yr Net ROI	Median Salary	Annual Cost	Avg Debt
1	Davidson College Grad rate: 91.8%	Economics.	+$661,351	$80,388	$75,865	$22,625	Full ROI →
2	Wake Technical Community College Grad rate: 31.3%	Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions.	+$393,462	$62,513	$16,798	N/A	Full ROI →
3	Edgecombe Community College Grad rate: 33.7%	Radiology Residency/Fellowship Programs.	+$282,133	$56,737	$12,607	N/A	Full ROI →
4	Watts College of Nursing	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$274,638	$57,881	N/A	$31,838	Full ROI →
5	Pitt Community College Grad rate: 28.0%	Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions.	+$249,546	$56,326	$15,807	$15,679	Full ROI →
6	Nash Community College Grad rate: 46.2%	Electrical and Power Transmission Installers.	+$245,182	$54,819	$11,198	N/A	Full ROI →
7	Durham Technical Community College Grad rate: 29.7%	Health and Medical Administrative Services.	+$222,025	$55,326	$10,745	$25,000	Full ROI →
8	Vance-Granville Community College Grad rate: 37.1%	Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants.	+$212,295	$53,291	$13,525	N/A	Full ROI →
9	MyComputerCareer at Raleigh Grad rate: 71.0%	Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management.	+$201,451	$53,670	$31,949	N/A	Full ROI →
10	Edgecombe Community College Grad rate: 33.7%	Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions.	+$175,373	$51,399	$12,607	N/A	Full ROI →
11	Rowan-Cabarrus Community College Grad rate: 30.4%	Criminal Justice and Corrections.	+$167,510	$51,826	$14,666	$10,625	Full ROI →
12	Central Piedmont Community College Grad rate: 24.3%	Computer and Information Sciences, General.	+$165,549	$50,825	$10,951	N/A	Full ROI →
13	Davidson College Grad rate: 91.8%	Psychology, General.	+$156,840	$54,884	$75,865	$18,500	Full ROI →
14	Fayetteville Technical Community College Grad rate: 18.5%	Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions.	+$134,835	$49,334	$11,845	N/A	Full ROI →
15	Davidson College Grad rate: 91.8%	Political Science and Government.	+$132,750	$53,747	$75,865	$19,500	Full ROI →
16	Wake Technical Community College Grad rate: 31.3%	Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities.	+$122,322	$48,956	$16,798	N/A	Full ROI →
17	Gaston College Grad rate: 46.5%	Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants.	+$116,304	$49,532	$16,008	$13,576	Full ROI →
18	Guilford Technical Community College Grad rate: 29.5%	Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies.	+$91,947	$48,241	$18,425	$10,702	Full ROI →
19	Pitt Community College Grad rate: 28.0%	Criminal Justice and Corrections.	+$84,793	$47,030	$15,807	N/A	Full ROI →
20	Davidson College Grad rate: 91.8%	English Language and Literature, General.	+$81,015	$49,844	$75,865	N/A	Full ROI →
21	Central Piedmont Community College Grad rate: 24.3%	Management Information Systems and Services.	+$71,469	$46,121	$10,951	N/A	Full ROI →
22	Fayetteville Technical Community College Grad rate: 18.5%	Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants.	+$71,287	$47,152	$11,845	$14,746	Full ROI →
23	Wake Technical Community College Grad rate: 31.3%	Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR).	+$64,202	$46,050	$16,798	N/A	Full ROI →
24	Catawba Valley Community College Grad rate: 33.2%	Criminal Justice and Corrections.	+$36,897	$44,780	$18,703	N/A	Full ROI →
25	Forsyth Technical Community College Grad rate: 28.2%	Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants.	+$33,850	$45,323	$11,617	$15,550	Full ROI →
26	Wayne Community College Grad rate: 51.4%	Computer and Information Sciences, General.	+$27,709	$43,951	$11,311	N/A	Full ROI →
27	Fayetteville Technical Community College Grad rate: 18.5%	Computer and Information Sciences, General.	+$25,371	$44,907	$11,845	$15,499	Full ROI →
28	McDowell Technical Community College Grad rate: 48.7%	Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants.	+$21,171	$43,906	$16,949	N/A	Full ROI →
29	Appalachian State University Grad rate: 74.1%	Geography and Cartography.	+$15,583	$45,110	$22,654	$17,750	Full ROI →
30	Central Piedmont Community College Grad rate: 24.3%	Legal Support Services.	-$2,131	$42,441	$10,951	N/A	Full ROI →
31	Cleveland Community College Grad rate: 24.7%	Criminal Justice and Corrections.	-$15,197	$41,514	$5,477	N/A	Full ROI →
32	MyComputerCareer at Raleigh Grad rate: 71.0%	Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications.	-$19,754	$43,251	$31,949	$9,500	Full ROI →
33	Cape Fear Community College Grad rate: 31.4%	Criminal Justice and Corrections.	-$20,833	$42,740	$13,977	$16,042	Full ROI →
34	Pitt Community College Grad rate: 28.0%	Precision Metal Working.	-$35,047	$41,038	$15,807	N/A	Full ROI →
35	MyComputerCareer at Raleigh Grad rate: 71.0%	Computer and Information Sciences, General.	-$35,209	$41,837	$31,949	N/A	Full ROI →
36	Rowan-Cabarrus Community College Grad rate: 30.4%	Computer and Information Sciences, General.	-$39,848	$41,322	$14,666	$8,609	Full ROI →
37	Central Piedmont Community College Grad rate: 24.3%	Criminal Justice and Corrections.	-$44,311	$40,332	$10,951	N/A	Full ROI →
38	Western Piedmont Community College Grad rate: 38.1%	Criminal Justice and Corrections.	-$50,551	$40,245	$15,451	N/A	Full ROI →
39	NASCAR Technical Institute Grad rate: 52.6%	Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies.	-$53,906	$41,747	$29,618	$14,243	Full ROI →
40	Wilkes Community College Grad rate: 53.5%	Criminal Justice and Corrections.	-$55,164	$40,509	$10,494	$11,000	Full ROI →
41	Coastal Carolina Community College Grad rate: 39.7%	Criminal Justice and Corrections.	-$61,710	$39,671	$15,130	N/A	Full ROI →
42	Guilford Technical Community College Grad rate: 29.5%	Criminal Justice and Corrections.	-$69,350	$40,635	$18,425	$17,500	Full ROI →
43	Johnston Community College Grad rate: 37.6%	Ground Transportation.	-$83,702	$38,444	$12,582	N/A	Full ROI →
44	Davidson-Davie Community College Grad rate: 39.1%	Criminal Justice and Corrections.	-$86,714	$39,517	$14,779	$16,500	Full ROI →
45	Davidson-Davie Community College Grad rate: 39.1%	Ground Transportation.	-$95,259	$37,976	$14,779	N/A	Full ROI →
46	Cleveland Community College Grad rate: 24.7%	Precision Metal Working.	-$95,597	$37,494	$5,477	N/A	Full ROI →
47	Montgomery Community College Grad rate: 43.6%	Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants.	-$105,740	$37,418	$14,100	N/A	Full ROI →
48	Central Piedmont Community College Grad rate: 24.3%	Business Administration, Management and Operations.	-$109,547	$37,800	$10,951	$10,812	Full ROI →
49	Guilford Technical Community College Grad rate: 29.5%	Computer and Information Sciences, General.	-$109,825	$38,780	$18,425	$20,000	Full ROI →
50	Robeson Community College Grad rate: 26.5%	Criminal Justice and Corrections.	-$114,173	$37,079	$15,753	N/A	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.