2026 Best Value Sociology Schools in North Carolina
[Sociology](/majors/social-sciences/sociology/) 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 33 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for sociology students.
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2026 Best Value Sociology Schools in North Carolina
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in sociology, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Sociology Schools
University Of North Carolina At Chapel Hill earned the #1 spot for value among sociology schools in North Carolina. Located in the city of Chapel Hill, University Of North Carolina At Chapel Hill is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $8,994 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $41,203. Typical student debt for sociology graduates is $14,925. Sociology graduates of University Of North Carolina At Chapel Hill earn a median of $30,623 early in their careers. Set against $14,925 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of North Carolina At Chapel Hill admits about 15% of applicants.
A rank of #2 makes University Of North Carolina At Greensboro one of the best values for sociology. 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, compared with $24,012 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $25,988 to complete the sociology program here. Sociology graduates of University Of North Carolina At Greensboro earn a median of $27,400 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $25,988 median debt. University Of North Carolina At Greensboro admits about 88% of applicants.
University Of North Carolina At Pembroke is a great value for students pursuing a degree in sociology, landing the #3 spot this year. Located in the town of Pembroke, University Of North Carolina At Pembroke is a moderately-sized public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $3,648, while out-of-state students pay about $7,648. Typical student debt for sociology graduates is $28,526. Early-career sociology graduates make about $34,051. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of North Carolina At Pembroke admits about 93% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Western Carolina University earned it the #4 place for sociology. Western Carolina University is a large public school located in the town of Cullowhee. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $4,630, compared with $8,630 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $23,250 to complete the sociology program here. Early-career sociology graduates make about $23,374. Set against $23,250 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 82%.
Students looking for strong value in sociology will find it at Fayetteville State University, which ranked #5. Fayetteville State University is a moderately-sized public school located in the city of Fayetteville. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $4,353, while out-of-state students pay about $8,353. Typical student debt for sociology graduates is $31,888. Early-career sociology graduates make about $33,544. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 82% of applicants are accepted.
North Carolina A And T State University came in at #6 for value in sociology this year. Set in the city of Greensboro, North Carolina A And T State University is a large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $6,813, while out-of-state students pay about $20,673. Students borrow a median of $33,540 to complete the sociology program here. Early-career sociology graduates make about $24,661. That is a strong return on a $33,540 median debt. North Carolina A And T State University admits about 50% of applicants.
University Of North Carolina At Asheville ranked #7 on our 2026 list of the best value sociology schools. Located in the city of Asheville, University Of North Carolina At Asheville is a mid-sized public university. In-state tuition and fees average $7,501, compared with $24,849 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for sociology graduates is $23,250. Sociology graduates of University Of North Carolina At Asheville earn a median of $18,869 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 92%.
University Of North Carolina At Charlotte landed the #8 spot for sociology value this year. Located in the city of Charlotte, University Of North Carolina At Charlotte is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $7,239, while out-of-state students pay about $22,492. Sociology graduates carry a median of $26,798 in student loans. Soon after graduation, sociology degree recipients from University Of North Carolina At Charlotte generally make around $31,897. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 80%.
North Carolina State University At Raleigh landed the #9 spot for sociology value this year. Located in the city of Raleigh, North Carolina State University At Raleigh is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $8,799, with out-of-state students paying around $32,847. Sociology graduates carry a median of $22,787 in student loans. Sociology graduates of North Carolina State University At Raleigh earn a median of $35,510 early in their careers. Set against $22,787 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. North Carolina State University At Raleigh admits about 42% of applicants.
Appalachian State University earned the #10 position for value in sociology this year. Located in the town of Boone, Appalachian State University is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $7,579, while out-of-state students pay about $25,212. Students borrow a median of $20,606 to complete the sociology program here. Soon after graduation, sociology degree recipients from Appalachian State University generally make around $31,559. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Appalachian State University admits about 90% of applicants.
Winston Salem State University came in at #11 for value in sociology this year. Located in the city of Winston-Salem, Winston Salem State University is a moderately-sized public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $6,126, with out-of-state students paying around $16,782. Typical student debt for sociology graduates is $27,653. Early-career sociology graduates make about $43,969. That is a strong return on a $27,653 median debt. Winston Salem State University admits about 78% of applicants.
East Carolina University landed the #12 spot for sociology value this year. East Carolina University is a very large public school located in the city of Greenville. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $7,361, compared with $23,638 for out-of-state students. Sociology graduates carry a median of $25,750 in student loans. Sociology graduates of East Carolina University earn a median of $31,928 early in their careers. Set against $25,750 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. East Carolina University admits about 89% of applicants.
University Of North Carolina At Wilmington came in at #13 for value in sociology this year. University Of North Carolina At Wilmington is a very large public school located in the city of Wilmington. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $7,277, with out-of-state students paying around $24,152. Sociology graduates carry a median of $24,125 in student loans. Early-career sociology graduates make about $29,220. That is a strong return on a $24,125 median debt. Roughly 64% of applicants are accepted.
Wake Forest University ranked #14 on our 2026 list of the best value sociology schools. Located in the city of Winston-Salem, Wake Forest University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $67,642. Sociology graduates carry a median of $23,000 in student loans. Sociology graduates of Wake Forest University earn a median of $46,257 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $23,000 median debt. Roughly 22% of applicants are accepted.
Duke University came in at #15 for value in sociology this year. Duke University is a large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Durham. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $68,758. Typical student debt for sociology graduates is $13,296. Soon after graduation, sociology degree recipients from Duke University generally make around $45,551. That is a strong return on a $13,296 median debt. Duke University admits about 6% of applicants.
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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 · 33 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.
