University Of North Carolina At Charlotte

University of North Carolina At Charlotte's published cost of attendance is $23,010, but need-based aid shifts what families actually pay. Low-income families see a net price of approximately $10,357, middle-income families pay around $13,690, and higher-income families pay approximately $21,761.

Azimuth ranks University of North Carolina At Charlotte #384 for post-graduation affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. Net prices by income band are medians within those bands; individual aid packages vary, so some families in each band pay more and some less than the figures shown.

As a public university, University of North Carolina At Charlotte benefits from in-state tuition structures that keep sticker prices lower than at many private institutions, and need-based aid narrows the gap further for qualifying families. The spread between what low-income and higher-income families pay reflects the university's aid reach across the income spectrum — a meaningful signal for families weighing the [net price illusion](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/) between published and actual costs.

Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $21,500, compared with a peer median of $19,976. Families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $19,809; private or institutional loans may add further borrowing that falls outside these federal-only figures — see the [Parent PLUS risk framework](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) for how household context shapes PLUS decisions.

For a graduate at the institution's median four-year earnings of $65,370, median federal debt of $21,500 projects to a monthly payment of about $243 under standard ten-year repayment. For personalized projections across earnings scenarios — including Parent PLUS planning — use [Azimuth's Financial GPS tool](/analysis/financial-gps-framework/).

Graduates of University of North Carolina At Charlotte earn median earnings of $65,370 four years after enrollment, placing University of North Carolina At Charlotte in the 70.0 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. That figure sits below the $65,228 median at comparable institutions (same control and size band).

Graduates earn about $3,298 more than similar students at comparable institutions, placing the institution in the 71.3 percentile for [earnings beyond expectations](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) among nonprofit four-year institutions. Those figures still represent lifetime returns relative to NC's no-degree-equivalent earnings baseline of $30,928, the state median earnings of working adults age 25–34 with only a high school credential.

The degree mix at University of North Carolina At Charlotte is anchored by Business, which accounts for 19% of graduates, followed by Engineering at 8% and Social Sciences at 6%. Computer Science combines large cohort scale with solid earnings, making it a key contributor to the institution's overall return profile.

Azimuth ranks Computer Science #77 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions [per the program-ranking methodology](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/), with 593 graduates earning median earnings of $93,037 four years after enrollment. The Psychology, General program graduates 396 students and earns median earnings of $50,507, while Finance ranks #73 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions with median earnings of $74,965.

Health Administration and Communication and Media Studies round out the strongest-earning fields, with median earnings of $52,400 and $60,407 respectively four years after enrollment.

University of North Carolina At Charlotte's program mix is anchored in Business, which accounts for 19% of graduates — a concentration that shapes the institution's overall earnings profile. Engineering represents 8% of degrees and Social Sciences accounts for 6%, giving the university an applied-professional orientation typical of large urban public research universities.

Across 59 programs serving roughly 6,019 students annually, 50 meet Azimuth's ranking threshold — a broad portfolio that reflects Charlotte's role as a major financial and healthcare employment center. Computer Science combines the largest cohort with strong earnings, making it the program that contributes most to the institution's aggregate return.

Azimuth ranks Computer Science #77 nationally for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, with 593 graduates earning $93,037. The Psychology, General program graduates 396 students with median earnings of $50,507, and the The Finance program graduates 380 students earning $74,965.

Azimuth ranks Finance #73 nationally for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks Business Administration #88 nationally for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, with graduates earning $70,654.

Several of University of North Carolina At Charlotte's strongest programs feed directly into Charlotte's financial-services and technology sectors — high-mobility pathways where graduates enter the workforce immediately and four-year earnings reflect actual labor-market outcomes. Programs like Health Administration and Communication and Media Studies, with 354 and 311 graduates respectively, serve students who may pursue graduate study or enter applied roles where career trajectories build over a longer horizon.

The supply-demand map for college graduates provides context for how the institution's business-heavy program mix aligns with regional and national employer demand, and the program-ranking methodology explains how Azimuth evaluates individual programs.