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These days, the financial value of higher education is a live question in North Carolina. But the business magazine Forbes has good news for the industry: it argues that “a solid undergraduate education still pays off.”
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That’s more true at some universities than others, Forbes says.
This week, the magazine released its ranking of the nation’s 500 best colleges, based “not on a college’s reputation, but on outcomes.” It attempts to measure return-on-investment: how successful students are after graduation, how much debt they carry, and whether they go on to hold leadership roles.
Four North Carolina colleges made the top 100 in Forbes’ ranking. One interesting tidbit to add to the Tar Heel-Wolfpack rivalry: Forbes says NC State University grads make more than UNC-Chapel Hill grads do 20 years out from college.
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Here’s how it all played out for the Old North State:
Other NC schools in the top 500 include Wake Forest University at No. 112, UNC Charlotte at No. 250, Elon University at No. 259, and Appalachian State University at No. 302.
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This story was originally published September 10, 2026 at 3:33 PM.