2026 Best Value Pre-Engineering Schools in North Carolina
[Pre-Engineering](/majors/engineering/general-engineering/pre-engineering/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 34 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for pre-engineering students.
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2026 Best Value Pre-Engineering Schools in North Carolina
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in pre-engineering, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Pre-Engineering Schools
Central Piedmont Community College earned the #1 spot for value among pre-engineering schools in North Carolina. Central Piedmont Community College is a very large public school located in the city of Charlotte. In-state tuition and fees average $2,792, compared with $8,936 for out-of-state students. Pre-Engineering graduates carry a median of $11,861 in student loans. Soon after graduation, pre-engineering degree recipients from Central Piedmont Community College generally make around $40,629. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
A rank of #2 makes Central Carolina Community College one of the best values for pre-engineering. Set in the town of Sanford, Central Carolina Community College is a moderately-sized public institution. Students from in state pay about $2,711 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $8,855. Typical student debt for pre-engineering graduates is $10,266. Early-career pre-engineering graduates make about $38,198. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Johnston Community College came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best value pre-engineering schools. Set in the town of Smithfield, Johnston Community College is a moderately-sized public institution. Students from in state pay about $2,756 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $8,900. Typical student debt for pre-engineering graduates is $9,490. Soon after graduation, pre-engineering degree recipients from Johnston Community College generally make around $37,472. Set against $9,490 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Cape Fear Community College came in at #4 on our 2026 list of the best value pre-engineering schools. Cape Fear Community College is a very large public school located in the city of Wilmington. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $2,748, with out-of-state students paying around $8,892. Students borrow a median of $12,388 to complete the pre-engineering program here. Early-career pre-engineering graduates make about $42,889. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
A rank of #5 makes Gaston College one of the best values for pre-engineering. Gaston College is a moderately-sized public school located in the suburb of Dallas. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $3,186, compared with $9,330 for out-of-state students. Pre-Engineering graduates carry a median of $10,915 in student loans. Pre-Engineering graduates of Gaston College earn a median of $39,937 early in their careers. Set against $10,915 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Forsyth Technical Community College came in at #6 for value in pre-engineering this year. Set in the city of Winston-Salem, Forsyth Technical Community College is a large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $2,276, while out-of-state students pay about $6,884. Typical student debt for pre-engineering graduates is $16,374. Soon after graduation, pre-engineering degree recipients from Forsyth Technical Community College generally make around $38,094. That is a strong return on a $16,374 median debt.
Wake Technical Community College placed #7 among the best values for pre-engineering. Wake Technical Community College is a very large public school located in the suburb of Raleigh. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $2,254, compared with $6,862 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for pre-engineering graduates is $11,182. Early-career pre-engineering graduates make about $38,673. That is a strong return on a $11,182 median debt.
Guilford Technical Community College earned the #8 position for value in pre-engineering this year. Located in the suburb of Jamestown, Guilford Technical Community College is a large public university. Students from in state pay about $2,320 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $7,696. Typical student debt for pre-engineering graduates is $20,501. Soon after graduation, pre-engineering degree recipients from Guilford Technical Community College generally make around $36,124. Set against $20,501 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
More Pre-Engineering Rankings
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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 · 34 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 1 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.
