2026 Best Value Operations Management Schools in North Carolina

[Operations Management](/majors/business-management-marketing-sales/business-administration-and-management/operations-management/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong operations management education at a price that pays off.
College Factual analyzed 7 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value operations management schools.
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2026 Best Value Operations Management Schools in North Carolina
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in operations management, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Operations Management Schools
For return on investment in operations management, no school beat Fayetteville Technical Community College this year. Set in the city of Fayetteville, Fayetteville Technical Community College is a large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $2,628, compared with $8,772 for out-of-state students. Operations Management graduates carry a median of $14,789 in student loans. Soon after graduation, operations management degree recipients from Fayetteville Technical Community College generally make around $34,617. That is a strong return on a $14,789 median debt.
Wayne Community College came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value operations management schools. Wayne Community College is a mid-sized public school located in the city of Goldsboro. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $2,566, while out-of-state students pay about $8,710. Typical student debt for operations management graduates is $5,500. Soon after graduation, operations management degree recipients from Wayne Community College generally make around $33,116. Set against $5,500 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Mcdowell Technical Community College earned it the #3 place for operations management. Mcdowell Technical Community College is a small public school located in the rural area of Marion. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $2,032, while out-of-state students pay about $6,640. Operations Management graduates of Mcdowell Technical Community College earn a median of $56,733 early in their careers.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Pitt Community College earned it the #4 place for operations management. Located in the suburb of Winterville, Pitt Community College is a large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $3,871, compared with $13,087 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for operations management graduates is $21,544. Soon after graduation, operations management degree recipients from Pitt Community College generally make around $35,321. That is a strong return on a $21,544 median debt.
Guilford Technical Community College came in at #5 on our 2026 list of the best value operations management schools. Set in the suburb of Jamestown, Guilford Technical Community College is a large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $2,320, while out-of-state students pay about $7,696. Operations Management graduates carry a median of $24,036 in student loans. Early-career operations management graduates make about $36,124. That is a strong return on a $24,036 median debt.
University Of North Carolina At Charlotte earned the #6 position for value in operations management this year. Located in the city of Charlotte, University Of North Carolina At Charlotte is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $7,239, while out-of-state students pay about $22,492. Typical student debt for operations management graduates is $22,285. Soon after graduation, operations management degree recipients from University Of North Carolina At Charlotte generally make around $64,829. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 80% of applicants are accepted.
Montreat College came in at #7 for value in operations management this year. Montreat College is a small private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Montreat. Students from in state pay about $36,450 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $24,168 to complete the operations management program here. Operations Management graduates of Montreat College earn a median of $29,234 early in their careers. Set against $24,168 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 69%.
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Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 7 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 2 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.