Highest ROI College Degrees in North Carolina

Top 20 college + major combinations in North Carolina ranked by estimated 20-year net return on investment. Data from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.

#	College	Major	20-Yr Net ROI	Median Salary	Annual Cost
1	University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Grad rate: 91.7%	Advanced/Graduate Dentistry and Oral Sciences.	+$3,873,898	$238,213	$25,181	Full ROI →
2	Duke University Grad rate: 96.2%	International Business.	+$3,030,142	$201,782	$82,749	Full ROI →
3	Duke University Grad rate: 96.2%	Law.	+$2,835,004	$200,300	$82,749	Full ROI →
4	Duke University Grad rate: 96.2%	Legal Research and Advanced Professional Studies.	+$2,796,862	$190,118	$82,749	Full ROI →
5	Duke University Grad rate: 96.2%	Business Administration, Management and Operations.	+$2,265,702	$163,560	$82,749	Full ROI →
6	East Carolina University Grad rate: 63.6%	Dentistry.	+$2,252,502	$156,994	$23,689	Full ROI →
7	University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Grad rate: 91.7%	Business Administration, Management and Operations.	+$2,111,418	$150,089	$25,181	Full ROI →
8	Wake Forest University Grad rate: 90.3%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$2,103,124	$155,438	$82,818	Full ROI →
9	Duke University Grad rate: 96.2%	Health and Medical Administrative Services.	+$2,020,964	$159,598	$82,749	Full ROI →
10	Duke University Grad rate: 96.2%	Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations.	+$1,821,162	$141,333	$82,749	Full ROI →
11	University of North Carolina at Greensboro Grad rate: 57.9%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$1,796,764	$133,801	$19,628	Full ROI →
12	Campbell University Grad rate: 55.7%	Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration.	+$1,731,096	$134,430	$58,752	Full ROI →
13	University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Grad rate: 91.7%	Dentistry.	+$1,671,678	$128,102	$25,181	Full ROI →
14	North Carolina State University at Raleigh Grad rate: 84.6%	Computer Software and Media Applications.	+$1,558,174	$122,470	$25,613	Full ROI →
15	East Carolina University Grad rate: 63.6%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$1,553,584	$124,417	$23,689	Full ROI →
16	University of North Carolina at Charlotte Grad rate: 68.8%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$1,523,852	$120,396	$22,034	Full ROI →
17	Duke University Grad rate: 96.2%	Computer Science.	+$1,501,619	$134,542	$82,749	Full ROI →
18	Wingate University Grad rate: 50.6%	Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration.	+$1,462,140	$120,885	$57,780	Full ROI →
19	University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Grad rate: 91.7%	Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration.	+$1,459,398	$117,488	$25,181	Full ROI →
20	University of North Carolina at Charlotte Grad rate: 68.8%	Business/Managerial Economics.	+$1,425,332	$115,470	$22,034	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.