by our College Data Analytics TeamIt's not easy to decide which grad school to attend when you have so many options available. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our Best Doctor's Degree Colleges in North Carolina ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.
Jump to Any of the Following Sections: * Our Methodology
We analyzed 19 grad schools across North Carolina to determine which have the best doctorate degree programs. To come up with this ranking of the best grad schools, we look at factors that are all objective measurements. We explain more about what we look at and why we do so below.
One measure we use to determine the quality of a school is to look at the average salary of doctorate graduates during the early years of their career. After all, your doctorate degree won't mean much if it doesn't help you find a job that will help you earn a living.
Another factor that we look at to determine a school's ranking is the average debt load that graduate students take on while they are working on their doctorate degree. We consider this number in conjunction with average post-graduation earnings to gauge the difficulty doctorate recipients will have paying back their loans.
In addition to average post-graduation earnings and average student debt loads, we also look at a host of other factors to determining our Best Doctorate Degree Schools ranking. Several other factors - such as how much the school spends on educational resources, the demand of the school, the availability of online learning options, and the student body caliber - go into our rankings.
Find out more about our graduate school ranking methodology
Not quite ready to work on your doctorate? Check out our Best Master's Degree Schools ranking.
Learn more about these excellent grad schools below:
Our analysis found Duke University to be the best grad school for doctorate degrees in North Carolina in this year’s ranking. Located in Durham, North Carolina, the fairly large private not-for-profit school handed out 949 doctorate degrees in 2020-2021.
During the early years of their career, doctorate degree graduates from Duke make an average of $92,967 a year.
The excellent doctorate degree programs at North Carolina State University helped the school earn the #2 place on this year’s ranking of the best schools in North Carolina. Raleigh, North Carolina is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out doctorate degrees to 630 students in 2020-2021.
Those who receive a doctorate degree from NC State go into careers with an average salary of $71,443 during the early years of their career.
A rank of #3 on our Best Doctorate Degrees in North Carolina list means University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is a great place for students working on their degree. Located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, the large public school handed out 1,144 doctorate degrees in 2020-2021.
Graduates with a doctorate degree from UNC Chapel Hill make an average of $75,653 per year during the early years of their career.
Learn More About University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Wake Forest University. It ranked #4 on our 2024 Best Doctorate Degree Schools in North Carolina list. Located in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, the medium-sized private not-for-profit school handed out 379 doctorate degrees in 2020-2021.
The average salary of a graduate with a doctorate degree from Wake Forest University is $57,409 during the early years of their career.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend East Carolina University. It ranked #5 on our 2024 Best Doctorate Degree Schools in North Carolina list. East Carolina University is a large public school located in Greenville, North Carolina that handed out 306 doctorate degrees in 2020-2021.
Graduates with a doctorate degree from ECU make an average of $74,465 per year during the early years of their career.
University of North Carolina at Greensboro landed the #6 spot on the 2024 Best Doctorate Degree Schools in North Carolina ranking. UNC Greensboro is located in Greensboro, North Carolina and has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 205 doctorate degrees to qualified graduate students.
Those who receive a doctorate degree from UNC Greensboro go into careers with an average salary of $69,852 during the early years of their career.
University of North Carolina at Charlotte came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Doctorate Degree Schools in North Carolina ranking. UNC Charlotte is located in Charlotte, North Carolina and has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 192 doctorate degrees to qualified graduate students.
Those who receive a doctorate degree from UNC Charlotte go into careers with an average salary of $75,257 during the early years of their career.
North Carolina A & T State University landed the #8 spot on the 2024 Best Doctorate Degree Schools in North Carolina ranking. NC A&T is a fairly large public school situated in Greensboro, North Carolina. It awarded 62 doctorate degrees in 2020-2021.
High Point University landed the #9 spot on the 2024 Best Doctorate Degree Schools in North Carolina ranking. High Point University is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school located in High Point, North Carolina that handed out 145 doctorate degrees in 2020-2021.
Gardner - Webb University ranked #10 on this year’s Best Doctorate Degree Schools in North Carolina list. Located in Boiling Springs, North Carolina, the small private not-for-profit school awarded 98 diplomas to qualifed doctorate degree students in 2020-2021.
Upon graduation, doctorate degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $76,352 during the early years of their career.
University of North Carolina at Wilmington landed the #11 spot on the 2024 Best Doctorate Degree Schools in North Carolina ranking. Located in Wilmington, North Carolina, the fairly large public school awarded 34 diplomas to qualifed doctorate degree students in 2020-2021.
Those who receive a doctorate degree from UNCW go into careers with an average salary of $68,987 during the early years of their career.
Read full report on University of North Carolina at Wilmington
Methodist University ranked #12 on this year’s Best Doctorate Degree Schools in North Carolina list. Fayetteville, North Carolina is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out doctorate degrees to 2 students in 2020-2021.
Graduates with a doctorate degree from Methodist make an average of $70,330 per year during the early years of their career.
With a ranking of #13, Wingate University did quite well on the 2024 Best Doctorate Degree Schools in North Carolina list. Wingate is a private not-for-profit institution located in Wingate, North Carolina. The school has a small population, and it awarded 146 doctorate degrees in 2020-2021.
Graduates with a doctorate degree from Wingate make an average of $82,233 per year during the early years of their career.
Western Carolina University came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Doctorate Degree Schools in North Carolina ranking. Cullowhee, North Carolina is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out doctorate degrees to 65 students in 2020-2021.
During the early years of their career, doctorate degree graduates from WCU make an average of $65,460 a year.
Winston - Salem State University came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Doctorate Degree Schools in North Carolina ranking. Winston - Salem State University is a medium-sized public school located in Winston-Salem, North Carolina that handed out 70 doctorate degrees in 2020-2021.
Upon graduation, doctorate degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $69,950 during the early years of their career.
Campbell University came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Best Doctorate Degree Schools in North Carolina ranking. Campbell is located in Buies Creek, North Carolina and has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 456 doctorate degrees to qualified graduate students.
Graduates with a doctorate degree from Campbell make an average of $69,265 per year during the early years of their career.
Elon University did quite well in the 2024 Best Doctorate Degree Schools in North Carolina ranking, coming in at #17. This medium-sized private not-for-profit school is located in Elon, North Carolina, and it awarded 167 doctorate degrees in 2020-2021.
During the early years of their career, doctorate degree graduates from Elon make an average of $68,888 a year.
Fayetteville State University ranked #18 on this year’s Best Doctorate Degree Schools in North Carolina list. Fayetteville State University is a medium-sized public school situated in Fayetteville, North Carolina. It awarded 7 doctorate degrees in 2020-2021.
The average salary of a graduate with a doctorate degree from Fayetteville State University is $63,108 during the early years of their career.
North Carolina Central University ranked #19 on this year’s Best Doctorate Degree Schools in North Carolina list. North Carolina Central University is located in Durham, North Carolina and has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 87 doctorate degrees to qualified graduate students.
Graduates with a doctorate degree from North Carolina Central University make an average of $43,827 per year during the early years of their career.
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More about our data sources and methodologies.