The Cheapest Colleges in North Carolina by Out of State Tuition for 2023
If you're looking for an affordable university in North Carolina but aren't a state resident, these are the least expensive out of state colleges to consider. Additionally, if you are a foreign citizen and cannot qualify for in-state tuition, these are the cheapest universities in North Carolina for international students.
Affordable doesn't simply mean finding a school with a low published out of state tuition. It's important to research the typical financial aid package offered by a school, the average net price actually paid and most importantly the quality of education you receive for your tuition dollar. Sometimes a school which appears cheap based on list price can be a poor relative value if it can't award competitive financial aid or doesn't offer a quality education. The list below is a ranking on published out of state tuition with no consideration of actual average price paid or academic quality of the school. Please see the CollegeCalc best value colleges in North Carolina list for a ranking which considers school quality and average net price.
The most affordable four year colleges in North Carolina are listed by one year's out of state tuition list price for the 2021/2022 school year.
What is the cheapest college in North Carolina? Leading the colleges list is Apex School of Theology in Durham with an out of state tuition of $4,800.
Academic Rating is a CollegeCalc rating of a college's overall academics and effectiveness. The score ranges from zero to one hundred, with fifty being the median for all eligible colleges. Dollar value is a measure of a school's academic rating compared with the average price paid by students. Colleges which are ranked "n/a" didn't report sufficient data to formulate a score. Learn more about our rating methodology.
All price data are reprinted from the U.S. Department of Education's 2021/2022 IPEDS Survey and reflect reported costs for the 2021/2022 academic year.
| College | Out of State Tuition | Rating | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
#21 Living Arts CollegeRaleigh, Private For Profit |
$15,324 | NA | NA |
#22 Mid Atlantic Christian UniversityElizabeth City, Private Not For Profit |
$15,520 | 38 | 12 |
#23 DeVry University North CarolinaCharlotte, Private For Profit |
$15,835 | NA | NA |
#24 Livingstone CollegeSalisbury, Private Not For Profit |
$15,917 | 19 | 2 |
#25 Bennett College for WomenGreensboro, Private Not For Profit |
$16,000 | NA | NA |
#26 Johnson C Smith UniversityCharlotte, Private Not For Profit |
$16,174 | 33 | 12 |
#27 North Carolina Central UniversityDurham, Public Not For Profit |
$16,435 | 30 | 32 |
#28 North Carolina A & T State UniversityGreensboro, Public Not For Profit |
$17,050 | 29 | 37 |
#29 University of North Carolina at CharlotteCharlotte, Public Not For Profit |
$17,246 | 53 | 37 |
#30 Belmont Abbey CollegeBelmont, Private Not For Profit |
$18,500 | 28 | 2 |
#31 University of North Carolina at WilmingtonWilmington, Public Not For Profit |
$18,508 | 60 | 42 |
#32 Greensboro CollegeGreensboro, Private Not For Profit |
$18,960 | 29 | 8 |
#33 South College AshevilleAsheville, Private For Profit |
$19,050 | NA | NA |
#34 University of North Carolina at GreensboroGreensboro, Public Not For Profit |
$19,581 | 46 | 66 |
#35 Appalachian State UniversityBoone, Public Not For Profit |
$19,849 | 52 | 70 |
#36 East Carolina UniversityGreenville, Public Not For Profit |
$20,729 | 45 | 28 |
#37 University of North Carolina at AshevilleAsheville, Public Not For Profit |
$21,470 | 54 | 55 |
#38 Mount Olive CollegeMount Olive, Private Not For Profit |
$21,618 | 31 | 28 |
#39 University of North Carolina School of the ArtsWinston-Salem, Public Not For Profit |
$23,731 | 66 | 85 |
#40 Chowan UniversityMurfreesboro, Private Not For Profit |
$25,880 | 15 | 1 |