Top Economics Programs in North Carolina by Earnings (2026)
Updated
This page ranks the 10 Economics programs in North Carolina by the median earnings of Economics graduates four years after completing, highest first. Duke University leads the list with median earnings of $161,149 for its graduates four years after completing.
Across the listed programs, the figure ranges from $161,149 to $28,212, with a median of $68,290.
Public institutions account for 6 of the 10 programs, and private nonprofits for 4. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill ranks 50th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions.
North Carolina A & T State University posts the lowest average net price on the list, at $10,846.
The ranked list
| Rank | School | Program Earnings | Average net price | Net price, families under $30K | Admission rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Duke University · Durham, NC | $161,149 | $29,612 | $735 | 5.7% |
| Duke University reports $161,149 in median earnings for its Economics graduates four years after completing, the highest figure on this list. | |||||
| 2 | Elon University · Elon, NC | $112,303 | $41,555 | $26,523 | 66.4% |
| Elon University posts median earnings of $112,303 for its Economics graduates four years after completing, alongside an average net price of $41,555. | |||||
| 3 | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill · Chapel Hill, NC | $103,846 | $11,655 | $2,004 | 15.3% |
| University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill ranks 50th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions and shows median earnings of $103,846 for its Economics graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 4 | Wake Forest University · Winston-Salem, NC | $98,209 | $28,719 | $6,525 | 21.7% |
| Wake Forest University admits 22% of applicants and its Economics graduates four years after completing earn a median of $98,209. | |||||
| 5 | North Carolina A & T State University · Greensboro, NC | $69,296 | $10,846 | $8,223 | 49.9% |
| North Carolina A & T State University carries an average net price of $10,846 and its Economics graduates four years after completing earn a median of $69,296. | |||||
| 6 | Appalachian State University · Boone, NC | $67,285 | $16,836 | $9,325 | 90.1% |
| Appalachian State University shows a 90% admission rate and median earnings of $67,285 for its Economics graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 7 | University of North Carolina Asheville · Asheville, NC | $66,736 | $12,250 | $8,219 | 91.9% |
| University of North Carolina Asheville reports median federal debt of $18,971 among Economics completers who borrowed, with median earnings of $66,736 four years after completing. | |||||
| 8 | East Carolina University · Greenville, NC | $64,597 | $15,739 | $10,046 | 89.2% |
| East Carolina University posts median earnings of $64,597 for its Economics graduates four years after completing and an average net price of $15,739. | |||||
| 9 | University of North Carolina at Greensboro · Greensboro, NC | $50,863 | $10,965 | $7,305 | 88.5% |
| University of North Carolina at Greensboro reports median earnings of $50,863 for its Economics graduates four years after completing, and a school-wide median federal debt of $22,858 across all of its borrowers who completed. | |||||
| 10 | Guilford College · Greensboro, NC | $28,212 | $22,270 | $18,367 | 80.0% |
| Guilford College reports median earnings of $28,212 for its Economics graduates four years after completing, with an average net price of $22,270. | |||||
How this list is ordered
Programs are ordered by the median earnings of their Economics graduates four years after completing, highest first. Only programs with a reported earnings cohort in North Carolina appear. The figures cover federally aided completers who were working and not enrolled four years after finishing. For 1 of the 10 listed programs the figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one. The metric does not adjust for graduate school enrollment, cost, or who enrolls, and it is not a measure of teaching quality. The range from Duke University to the lowest-ranked program spans $132,937, and the gap between Duke University and Elon University is $48,846.