2026 Best Value Atmospheric Sciences & Meteorology Schools in North Carolina
[Atmospheric Sciences & Meteorology](/majors/physical-sciences/atmospheric-sciences-meteorology/) 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.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 5 schools to find the best return on investment for atmospheric sciences & meteorology students.
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2026 Best Value Atmospheric Sciences & Meteorology Schools in North Carolina
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in atmospheric sciences & meteorology, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Atmospheric Sciences & Meteorology Schools
University Of North Carolina At Asheville tops our 2026 list of the best value atmospheric sciences & meteorology schools in North Carolina. Located in the city of Asheville, University Of North Carolina At Asheville is a mid-sized public university. Students from in state pay about $7,501 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $24,849. Typical student debt for atmospheric sciences & meteorology graduates is $22,108. Atmospheric Sciences & Meteorology graduates of University Of North Carolina At Asheville earn a median of $31,821 early in their careers. Set against $22,108 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 92% of applicants are accepted.
University Of North Carolina At Charlotte is a great value for students pursuing a degree in atmospheric sciences & meteorology, landing the #2 spot this year. Located in the city of Charlotte, University Of North Carolina At Charlotte is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $7,239 in tuition and fees, compared with $22,492 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for atmospheric sciences & meteorology graduates is $24,673. Soon after graduation, atmospheric sciences & meteorology degree recipients from University Of North Carolina At Charlotte generally make around $51,799. Set against $24,673 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 80% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at North Carolina State University At Raleigh earned it the #3 place for atmospheric sciences & meteorology. North Carolina State University At Raleigh is a very large public school located in the city of Raleigh. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $8,799, while out-of-state students pay about $32,847. Students borrow a median of $22,113 to complete the atmospheric sciences & meteorology program here. Early-career atmospheric sciences & meteorology graduates make about $59,622. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 42% of applicants are accepted.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published 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 · 5 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.
