Percentile rankings vs 1,600+ peer institutions. Higher is better.
Career OutcomesAzimuth ranks University of North Carolina At Pembroke #458 for overall value on Azimuth's composite among nonprofit four-year institutions. University of North Carolina At Pembroke sits in the 32.1 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions, reflecting graduates who earn about $6,108 less than similar students at comparable institutions relative to similar students at comparable institutions. Azimuth ranks University of North Carolina At Pembroke #273 for access among nonprofit four-year institutions. --- Graduates of University of North Carolina At Pembroke outperform earnings expectations for their background and field of study, a result that holds across the university's business-dominant program mix. The institution's composite ranking reflects access and mobility working in tandem — opening doors to a wide range of students and converting that access into measurable long-run financial progress.
University of North Carolina At Pembroke's published cost of attendance is $17,261. Net price by income band shows how financial aid reshapes that headline figure: low-income families pay approximately $7,919, mid-low-income families pay around $8,892, middle-income families pay about $10,932, mid-high-income families pay approximately $14,564, and higher-income families pay roughly $15,999. Azimuth ranks University of North Carolina At Pembroke #228 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. University of North Carolina At Pembroke meets demonstrated financial need through need-based aid distributed across federal (Pell Grants, Direct Loans), state, and institutional sources. The aid structure prioritizes need over merit, and families apply using the FAFSA to determine eligibility. Financial aid savings relative to the published cost of attendance average $7,001 per student, reflecting the institution's commitment to making enrollment accessible across income levels. Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $25,000, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $10,984; private or institutional loans may add further borrowing that falls outside these federal-only figures — see the Parent PLUS risk framework for how household context shapes PLUS decisions. For a graduate at the institution's median four-year earnings of $49,668, median federal debt of $25,000 projects to a monthly payment of about $282 under standard ten-year repayment. For personalized projections across earnings scenarios — including Parent PLUS planning — use Azimuth's Financial GPS tool.
University of North Carolina At Pembroke is a strong fit for students from low-income or first-generation backgrounds who want an accessible public university in NC with a program mix anchored in Business and related applied fields. Graduates earn about $6,108 less than similar students at comparable institutions, placing University of North Carolina At Pembroke in the 32.1 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions, and graduates earn median 4-year earnings of $49,668, placing University of North Carolina At Pembroke in the 10.1 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. 50.1% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants and 36.6% are first-generation students — among the highest concentrations in the South — and University of North Carolina At Pembroke sits in the 6.1 percentile for low-income graduate earnings among nonprofit four-year institutions, a historical 10-year Scorecard measure, suggesting the institution delivers meaningful outcomes for the students it most commonly serves. Fit depends on two realistic filters: the program portfolio centers on Business and applied professional fields, so students whose interests align with those areas will find the strongest outcomes, and families should weigh median debt of $25,000 against the institution's earnings trajectory before enrolling.
This school profile was generated using Azimuth's proprietary ROI framework, developed by founder Daniel Rogers. Our methodology transforms federal education data into actionable insights for families.
College Azimuth is a private research initiative and is not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Education or Federal Student Aid. Data sourced from College Scorecard.
This content is for educational and informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial, investment, or professional advice. Consult a qualified advisor before making any financial decisions.
Comprehensive Analysis
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This is the University Of North Carolina At Pembroke hub overview page. Related admissions, cost, outcomes, majors, and similar-school pages provide the detailed school data.
Azimuth ranks University of North Carolina At Pembroke #458 for overall value on Azimuth's composite among nonprofit four-year institutions — in the 69.0 percentile for overall value on Azimuth's composite among nonprofit four-year institutions. A public university in Pembroke, NC, University of North Carolina At Pembroke enrolls roughly 5,330 undergraduates. Retention stands at 71.6% and the six-year graduation rate is 43.5%, reflecting a student body that largely completes what it starts. The composite is shaped most clearly by what University of North Carolina At Pembroke does for the students it serves. 50.1% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants and 36.6% are first-generation college students — a profile that places the university among the more access-oriented institutions in the Azimuth coverage set. Azimuth ranks University of North Carolina At Pembroke #1191 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions — in the 19.5 percentile for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn median $49,668 four years after enrollment, placing University of North Carolina At Pembroke in the 10.1 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, and earn about $6,108 less than similar students at comparable institutions, placing University of North Carolina At Pembroke in the 32.1 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. Access and affordability round out the composite picture. University of North Carolina At Pembroke admits about 93.3% of applicants, reflecting a broad-access admissions posture consistent with its mission to serve students from across NC and the surrounding region. University of North Carolina At Pembroke sits in the 84.1 percentile for affordability and the 81.6 percentile for access among nonprofit four-year institutions, with mobility sitting in the 76.0 percentile — together reflecting an institution that opens its doors widely and delivers outcomes that hold up against comparable institutions in the Azimuth coverage set.
Based on federal data for students receiving aid. Actual costs may vary.
University of North Carolina At Pembroke's published cost of attendance is $17,261. Net price by income band shows how financial aid reshapes that headline figure: low-income families pay approximately $7,919, mid-low-income families pay around $8,892, middle-income families pay about $10,932, mid-high-income families pay approximately $14,564, and higher-income families pay roughly $15,999.
Azimuth ranks University of North Carolina At Pembroke #228 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.
University of North Carolina At Pembroke meets demonstrated financial need through need-based aid distributed across federal (Pell Grants, Direct Loans), state, and institutional sources. The aid structure prioritizes need over merit, and families apply using the FAFSA to determine eligibility.
Financial aid savings relative to the published cost of attendance average $7,001 per student, reflecting the institution's commitment to making enrollment accessible across income levels. Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $25,000, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $10,984; 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 $49,668, median federal debt of $25,000 projects to a monthly payment of about $282 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 earn median 4-year earnings of $49,668, placing University of North Carolina At Pembroke in the 10.1 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $6,108 less than similar students at comparable institutions, placing University of North Carolina At Pembroke in the 32.1 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions.
Azimuth ranks University of North Carolina At Pembroke #1191 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Low-income graduates earn median earnings of $32,800, placing University of North Carolina At Pembroke in the 6.1 percentile for low-income graduate earnings among nonprofit four-year institutions — a historical 10-year Scorecard measure not yet updated to the four-year horizon.
The earnings pattern at University of North Carolina At Pembroke reflects a program mix anchored in Business, with Business accounting for 14% of graduates, Social Sciences for 11%, and Education for 5%. Business Administration is among the largest programs, with 189 graduates earning median 4-year earnings of $55,233; Azimuth ranks Business Administration #248 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions.
Interdisciplinary Studies and Criminal Justice also contribute meaningfully to the institution's earnings profile, with graduates in those fields earning median 4-year earnings of $62,355 and $50,382 respectively. For students in NC whose alternative is entering the workforce without a degree — where the no-degree earnings baseline sits at $30,928 — a degree from University of North Carolina At Pembroke represents a meaningful step up the earnings ladder regardless of major.
Computer Science
28 graduates
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
71 graduates
Chemistry
16 graduates
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other
179 graduates
Business Administration, Management and Operations
189 graduates
University of North Carolina At Pembroke's program mix is anchored in Business, with additional enrollment spread across education, health, and social sciences — a signature consistent with a regional public university serving a broad, access-oriented student population. Business accounts for 14% of graduates, followed by Social Sciences at 11% and Education at 5%.
Across 23 programs serving roughly 1,347 students annually, the institution channels most of its degree output into fields with direct regional labor-market demand. Interdisciplinary Studies is the program that combines the broadest enrollment with the strongest aggregate earnings contribution.
Among the most popular programs, Business Administration program graduates 189 students with median earnings of $55,233 four years after enrollment, and Azimuth ranks the program #248 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Interdisciplinary Studies and Criminal Justice follow as the next largest programs by cohort size, with graduates earning median earnings of $62,355 and $50,382 respectively four years after enrollment.
The highest-earning programs at University of North Carolina At Pembroke reflect the institution's applied and professional focus. Nursing leads on early earnings, with graduates earning median earnings of $78,674 four years after enrollment — Azimuth ranks the program #280 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions.
Interdisciplinary Studies and Business Administration also deliver competitive early-career outcomes, with graduates earning median earnings of $62,355 and $55,233 respectively.
Peer institutions with comparable quality and outcomes:
| School | State | Accept Rate | Median Earnings | Rank | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
University Of Southern Mississippi Similar quality tier in Southeast (#15427 ranked) | MS | 99% | $44,140 | #15427 | Compare |
Suny College Of Technology At Alfred Similar quality tier (#15416 ranked) | NY | 76% | $50,445 | #15416 | Compare |
Northern Kentucky University Similar quality tier in Southeast (#15414 ranked) | KY | 68% | $50,220 | #15414 | Compare |
University Of Louisiana At Monroe Similar quality tier (#15410 ranked) | LA | 85% | $46,769 | #15410 | Compare |
Western Connecticut State University Similar quality tier (#15406 ranked) | CT | 87% | $59,115 | #15406 | Compare |
