Solid graduate outcomes with earnings above the peer average.
What graduates earn 10 years after enrollment.
Annual salary at 10 years
Lower quartile earnings
Upper quartile earnings
How graduate earnings grow in the decade after enrollment.
UNC Chapel Hill graduates experience consistent earnings growth throughout their early and mid-career periods. Median earnings increase from $57,057 six years after enrollment to $65,584 at eight years and $72,200 at ten years.
How outcomes compare to similar institutions.
Graduate earnings exceed the peer average, indicating above-typical outcomes for this institution type.
Financial justification for the investment.
Excellent affordability. Median debt of $14,000 is well under annual earnings, enabling comfortable repayment.
UNC Chapel Hill graduates maintain exceptionally low debt levels, with median borrowing of just $14,000. This places the university at the 87th percentile nationally for low debt, substantially below the peer median of $20,000.
UNC Chapel Hill achieves strong return on investment, ranking at the 80.6th percentile nationally with well above average performance. Graduates earn $11,657 more than peers from similar institutions, with median earnings of $72,200 compared to the peer median of $60,543.
Approximately 25% of UNC Chapel Hill graduates continue to graduate or professional study, based on high-confidence program mix analysis. This substa...
Program mix explains much of the earnings story.
Computer Science leads earnings outcomes at $107,225, ranking #41 nationally, while Business Administration produces graduates earning $105,246 and ranking #6 nationally. Applied Mathematics achieves exceptional performance with $104,439 earnings and #4 national ranking.
These high-earning programs balance the university's comprehensive liberal arts mission, which includes programs like Biology ($41,546) and English Literature ($48,296) that emphasize graduate school preparation. Communication and Media Studies demonstrates the university's strength in professional programs, ranking #6 nationally with $59,487 earnings and serving 598 graduates.
See which programs drive the strongest earnings and career trajectories
Earnings distribution at UNC Chapel Hill spans from $48,337 at the 25th percentile to $112,339 at the 75th percentile, creating a 2.3:1 ratio between top and bottom quartiles. Low-income graduates earn $70,200, just $2,000 below the overall median, demonstrating strong mobility potential across economic backgrounds.
