More selective than 87% of North Carolina colleges we cover.
College Scorecard, Fall 2024 entering class
Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.
Sticker price $32,680. College Scorecard.
Higher than 4% of North Carolina colleges we cover and 6% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median 54%.
Within 6 years · College Scorecard
Higher than 4% of North Carolina colleges we cover and 3% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median $53,263.
Median, 10 years after starting · College Scorecard
Carolina University acceptance rate & admissions
Of 547 applicants, Carolina University admitted 186 and 119 enrolled (IPEDS, Fall 2023 entering class).
IPEDS Admissions, Fall 2023 entering class
Test scores: College Scorecard, Fall 2024. Other figures: College Scorecard; IPEDS
Carolina University tuition, cost & net price
What families actually pay per year, by income
Average net price after grants and scholarships for students who receive federal aid. Tap your income band.
College Scorecard, latest reported year (federal aid recipients)
Sticker price (before aid)
IPEDS 2023-24 cost items; total from College Scorecard
College Scorecard; Urban Institute Education Data Portal
What Carolina University costs to finish, and how fast it pays back
Graduates of Carolina University took 4.0 years on average to finish, so the yearly price adds up to the total below. Payback compares former students' earnings with what high school graduates earn in North Carolina. The figures follow your residency and income choices above.
| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0–30k | $17,738 | $70,952 | no earnings gain |
| $30–48k | $17,560 | $70,240 | no earnings gain |
| $48–75k | $22,993 | $91,972 | no earnings gain |
| $75–110k | $23,597 | $94,388 | no earnings gain |
| $110k+ | $24,152 | $96,608 | no earnings gain |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.0 years, the average time graduates took (28% finished in 4 years; students who entered fall 2017, IPEDS). Years to pay back = cost to finish ÷ the earnings gain: median earnings of former students 10 years after starting ($32,864) minus $33,516 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in NC (Census ACS 2020-2024). Before taxes, loan interest and earnings given up while in school. Method
College Scorecard (net price, earnings); IPEDS Graduation Rates (time to finish); U.S. Census Bureau ACS (high school earnings). Calculated by EducationGuide.
Carolina University majors, earnings & careers
Carolina University offers 21 bachelor's majors across 7 areas. Earnings below are for this school's graduates of each major, four years after finishing.
- Humanities & Languages · 7
- Social Sciences & Public Service · 5
- Education · 3
- Business & Finance · 2
- Technology & Computing · 2
- Arts & Design · 1
- Health & Medicine · 1
Highest-earning majors at Carolina University
| Major | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|
| Bible Studies | $56,995 | $20,926 |
| Theology / Ministry | $38,859 | $35,382 |
Quick list of all 21 majors
- American Sign Language—
- Bible Studies$56,995
- Business—
- Business Administration—
- Computer and Information Sciences—
- Computer Science—
- Criminal Justice—
- Education (Elementary / Secondary)—
- Education (Subject Teaching)—
- Educational Administration and Supervision—
- Ethnic / Gender Studies—
- Graphic / Interior / Fashion Design—
- Multi / Interdisciplinary Studies, Other—
- Psychology—
- Psychology (Clinical / Counseling)—
- Public Health—
- Religious Education—
- Religious Music and Worship—
- Social Sciences—
- Sociology—
- Theology / Ministry$38,859
— means too few graduates to report earnings.
College Scorecard field of study, latest release
All majors by area with earnings 1 and 4 years out, and debt →Computer and Information Sciences → Software developer
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to grow 10.2% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Education (Elementary / Secondary) → Elementary school teacher
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to shrink 0.4% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Living in Winston
Overall prices in the Winston-Salem, NC area.
BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
2 bedrooms $1,332. Housing costs 29% below the U.S. average.
HUD Fair Market Rent, FY2027
January and July average highs. 43 inches of rain a year, 6 inches of snow.
NOAA Climate Normals 1991-2020
Highest: tornado (relatively high); river flooding (relatively high); winter weather (relatively high).
FEMA National Risk Index, Forsyth County
Campus & students
IPEDS fall enrollment; Carnegie Classification; EADA via Urban Institute
Forsyth County at a glance
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year 2024
Compare Carolina University with similar schools
Similar private colleges in North Carolina by selectivity, graduation rate and size. Tap “Why?” to see where the price difference comes from.
| School | Acceptance | You'd pay | Graduation | Earnings, 10 yrs | Price gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carolina University | 40% | $20,828 | 22% | $32,864 | This school |
| Saint Augustine's University | 34% | $24,313 | 25% | $35,730 | |
| Bennett College | 51% | $28,299 | 25% | $36,654 | |
| Johnson C Smith University | 45% | $20,894 | 34% | $42,680 | |
| Brevard College | 42% | $23,509 | 49% | $43,545 |
College Scorecard, latest reported year. “You'd pay” follows your residency and income choices above.
Why the price is different
Carolina University would cost you $3,485 less per year than Saint Augustine's University, on average.
- Lower sticker price at Carolina University, mostly from more Carolina University students living at home, which lowers its average (−$2,497).
- Carolina University gives aided families $2,986 more in grants, on average.
| Per year, North Carolina resident | Carolina University | Saint Augustine's University | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition & fees | $17,575 | $16,896 | +$679 |
| Books & supplies | $2,600 | $1,000 | +$1,600 |
| Housing & meals | $12,400 | $10,376 | +$2,024 |
| Personal & travel | $3,200 | $5,505 | −$2,305 |
| Living-at-home adjustment | −$3,095 | −$598 | −$2,497 |
| Sticker price | $32,680 | $33,179 | −$499 |
| Average grants | −$11,852 | −$8,866 | −$2,986 |
| You pay | $20,828 | $24,313 | −$3,485 |
“+” means Carolina University costs more; “−” means it costs less. Grants are the sticker price minus the net price. Cost items: IPEDS, on-campus budget. Sticker and net price: College Scorecard, latest reported year; the adjustment reconciles the two. Net price is an average for first-time, full-time students receiving federal aid, not a quote.
Common questions about Carolina University
What is the Carolina University acceptance rate?
Carolina University accepts 40% of applicants (College Scorecard). In the latest IPEDS admissions year, 186 of 547 applicants were admitted.
How much does Carolina University cost per year?
The sticker price (cost of attendance) is $32,680 a year. After grants and scholarships, students receiving federal aid pay $20,828 a year on average; families earning $0–30k pay $17,738 and families earning $110k+ pay $24,152.
How much do Carolina University graduates earn?
Former Carolina University students earn a median $32,864 ten years after starting college, compared with a U.S. median of $53,263 across the colleges we cover.
What is the Carolina University graduation rate?
22% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years, and 56% return for their second year.
Is Carolina University the right fit for your family?
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Sources on this page: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and IPEDS; U.S. Census Bureau (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS, Employment Projections); Bureau of Economic Analysis; HUD; NOAA; FEMA; Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-By); Wikidata. “Colleges we cover” means colleges awarding bachelor's degrees to at least 100 undergraduates. Averages are not quotes; confirm costs with the school. How we score
Data: download this school's data (JSON) · Markdown · all datasets
Cite this: “Carolina University: cost, admissions and outcomes,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/carolina-university (College Scorecard and IPEDS data).