2027 Best Value General Chemistry Schools in North Carolina
[General Chemistry](/majors/physical-sciences/chemistry/general-chemistry/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 13 schools to find the best return on investment for general chemistry students.
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2027 Best Value General Chemistry Schools in North Carolina
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in general chemistry, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value General Chemistry Schools
Leading the list is University Of North Carolina At Chapel Hill, our #1 best value for general chemistry in North Carolina. University Of North Carolina At Chapel Hill is a very large public school located in the city of Chapel Hill. In-state tuition and fees average $8,994, with out-of-state students paying around $41,203. Students borrow a median of $14,250 to complete the general chemistry program here. General Chemistry graduates of University Of North Carolina At Chapel Hill earn a median of $51,671 early in their careers. Set against $14,250 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 15% of applicants are accepted.
A rank of #2 makes North Carolina A And T State University one of the best values for general chemistry. Set in the city of Greensboro, North Carolina A And T State University is a large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $6,813, compared with $20,673 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $29,078 to complete the general chemistry program here. Soon after graduation, general chemistry degree recipients from North Carolina A And T State University generally make around $50,715. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 50% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in general chemistry will find it at Fayetteville State University, which ranked #3. Located in the city of Fayetteville, Fayetteville State University is a moderately-sized public university. In-state tuition and fees average $4,353, compared with $8,353 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for general chemistry graduates is $27,869. General Chemistry graduates of Fayetteville State University earn a median of $41,449 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 82% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in general chemistry will find it at University Of North Carolina At Pembroke, which ranked #4. University Of North Carolina At Pembroke is a moderately-sized public school located in the town of Pembroke. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $3,648, while out-of-state students pay about $7,648. Students borrow a median of $25,766 to complete the general chemistry program here. General Chemistry graduates of University Of North Carolina At Pembroke earn a median of $35,579 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $25,766 median debt. University Of North Carolina At Pembroke admits about 93% of applicants.
A rank of #5 makes Western Carolina University one of the best values for general chemistry. Western Carolina University is a large public school located in the town of Cullowhee. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $4,630, with out-of-state students paying around $8,630. Typical student debt for general chemistry graduates is $20,824. Soon after graduation, general chemistry degree recipients from Western Carolina University generally make around $26,513. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 82% of applicants are accepted.
North Carolina State University At Raleigh earned the #6 position for value in general chemistry this year. North Carolina State University At Raleigh is a very large public school located in the city of Raleigh. In-state tuition and fees average $8,799, with out-of-state students paying around $32,847. Students borrow a median of $20,154 to complete the general chemistry program here. General Chemistry graduates of North Carolina State University At Raleigh earn a median of $76,874 early in their careers. Set against $20,154 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 42% of applicants are accepted.
Davidson College came in at #7 for value in general chemistry this year. Davidson College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Davidson. Students from in state pay about $64,430 in tuition and fees. General Chemistry graduates carry a median of $19,906 in student loans. Early-career general chemistry graduates make about $41,505. Set against $19,906 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Davidson College admits about 13% of applicants.
East Carolina University came in at #8 for value in general chemistry this year. East Carolina University is a very large public school located in the city of Greenville. Students from in state pay about $7,361 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $23,638. General Chemistry graduates carry a median of $24,250 in student loans. Soon after graduation, general chemistry degree recipients from East Carolina University generally make around $47,875. Set against $24,250 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 89% of applicants are accepted.
University Of North Carolina At Charlotte earned the #9 position for value in general chemistry this year. University Of North Carolina At Charlotte is a very large public school located in the city of Charlotte. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $7,239, with out-of-state students paying around $22,492. Typical student debt for general chemistry graduates is $26,000. General Chemistry graduates of University Of North Carolina At Charlotte earn a median of $35,482 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of North Carolina At Charlotte admits about 80% of applicants.
Appalachian State University landed the #10 spot for general chemistry value this year. Appalachian State University is a very large public school located in the town of Boone. Students from in state pay about $7,579 in tuition and fees, compared with $25,212 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for general chemistry graduates is $24,949. General Chemistry graduates of Appalachian State University earn a median of $40,488 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 90% of applicants are accepted.
University Of North Carolina At Wilmington ranked #11 on our 2027 list of the best value general chemistry schools. University Of North Carolina At Wilmington is a very large public school located in the city of Wilmington. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $7,277, compared with $24,152 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for general chemistry graduates is $19,935. General Chemistry graduates of University Of North Carolina At Wilmington earn a median of $54,165 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 64% of applicants are accepted.
Wake Forest University earned the #12 position for value in general chemistry this year. Wake Forest University is a large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Winston-Salem. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $67,642. Typical student debt for general chemistry graduates is $22,250. General Chemistry graduates of Wake Forest University earn a median of $67,369 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $22,250 median debt. The acceptance rate is 22%.
Duke University came in at #13 for value in general chemistry this year. Duke University is a large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Durham. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $68,758. General Chemistry graduates carry a median of $8,457 in student loans. General Chemistry graduates of Duke University earn a median of $29,748 early in their careers. Set against $8,457 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 6% of applicants are accepted.
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Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 13 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 13 ranked schools only.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
