2026 Best Value Public Health Schools in North Carolina
[Public Health](/majors/health-care-professions/public-health/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong public health education at a price that pays off.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 29 schools to find the best return on investment for public health students.
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2026 Best Value Public Health Schools in North Carolina
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the public health degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Public Health Schools
Leading the list is University Of North Carolina At Chapel Hill, our #1 best value for public health in North Carolina. Located in the city of Chapel Hill, University Of North Carolina At Chapel Hill is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $8,994, with out-of-state students paying around $41,203. Typical student debt for public health graduates is $16,203. Soon after graduation, public health degree recipients from University Of North Carolina At Chapel Hill generally make around $75,293. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 15% of applicants are accepted.
University Of North Carolina At Greensboro came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value public health schools. Set in the city of Greensboro, University Of North Carolina At Greensboro is a large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $7,661, while out-of-state students pay about $24,012. Typical student debt for public health graduates is $25,500. Public Health graduates of University Of North Carolina At Greensboro earn a median of $46,052 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 88% of applicants are accepted.
Western Carolina University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in public health, landing the #3 spot this year. Located in the town of Cullowhee, Western Carolina University is a large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $4,630, while out-of-state students pay about $8,630. Typical student debt for public health graduates is $26,343. Public Health graduates of Western Carolina University earn a median of $44,926 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $26,343 median debt. Western Carolina University admits about 82% of applicants.
University Of North Carolina At Charlotte is a great value for students pursuing a degree in public health, landing the #4 spot 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, compared with $22,492 for out-of-state students. Public Health graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans. Early-career public health graduates make about $46,752. That is a strong return on a $27,000 median debt. Roughly 80% of applicants are accepted.
A rank of #5 makes University Of North Carolina At Asheville one of the best values for public health. University Of North Carolina At Asheville is a mid-sized public school located in the city of Asheville. In-state tuition and fees average $7,501, with out-of-state students paying around $24,849. Students borrow a median of $23,141 to complete the public health program here. Early-career public health graduates make about $27,913. That is a strong return on a $23,141 median debt. Roughly 92% of applicants are accepted.
Appalachian State University landed the #6 spot for public health 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. Students borrow a median of $20,361 to complete the public health program here. Public Health graduates of Appalachian State University earn a median of $34,148 early in their careers. Set against $20,361 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 90% of applicants are accepted.
East Carolina University came in at #7 for value in public health 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. Public Health graduates carry a median of $25,750 in student loans. Public Health graduates of East Carolina University earn a median of $45,253 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. East Carolina University admits about 89% of applicants.
North Carolina Central University earned the #8 position for value in public health this year. Located in the city of Durham, North Carolina Central University is a moderately-sized public university. In-state tuition and fees average $6,699, with out-of-state students paying around $19,735. Typical student debt for public health graduates is $31,000. Early-career public health graduates make about $38,198. Set against $31,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. North Carolina Central University admits about 87% of applicants.
University Of North Carolina At Wilmington came in at #9 for value in public health this year. Set in the city of Wilmington, University Of North Carolina At Wilmington is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $7,277, compared with $24,152 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for public health graduates is $23,500. Soon after graduation, public health degree recipients from University Of North Carolina At Wilmington generally make around $36,458. Set against $23,500 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 64%.
Wingate University placed #10 among the best values for public health. Wingate University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Wingate. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $42,576. Public Health graduates carry a median of $25,556 in student loans. Public Health graduates of Wingate University earn a median of $53,836 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $25,556 median debt. Roughly 91% of applicants are accepted.
Campbell University earned the #11 position for value in public health this year. Located in the town of Buies Creek, Campbell University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $41,600 in tuition and fees. Public Health graduates carry a median of $23,641 in student loans. Public Health graduates of Campbell University earn a median of $74,166 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $23,641 median debt. The acceptance rate is 87%.
Queens University Of Charlotte ranked #12 on our 2026 list of the best value public health schools. Queens University Of Charlotte is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Charlotte. In-state tuition and fees average $45,846. Public Health graduates carry a median of $27,245 in student loans. Soon after graduation, public health degree recipients from Queens University Of Charlotte generally make around $83,250. Set against $27,245 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 62%.
Wake Forest University ranked #13 on our 2026 list of the best value public health schools. Wake Forest University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Winston-Salem. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $67,642. Students borrow a median of $21,577 to complete the public health program here. Public Health graduates of Wake Forest University earn a median of $67,369 early in their careers. Set against $21,577 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 22% of applicants are accepted.
Duke University ranked #14 on our 2026 list of the best value public health schools. Located in the city of Durham, Duke University is a large private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $68,758. Typical student debt for public health graduates is $12,500. Early-career public health graduates make about $53,804. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Duke University admits about 6% of applicants.
Elon University landed the #15 spot for public health value this year. Set in the suburb of Elon, Elon University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $46,958. Typical student debt for public health graduates is $20,500. Public Health graduates of Elon University earn a median of $42,088 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $20,500 median debt. Elon University admits about 66% of applicants.
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Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 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 · 29 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 15 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.
