North Carolina Wesleyan University — ROI, Cost & Payback
North Carolina Wesleyan University charges a net price of $17,432/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $69,728. Median earnings ten years after entry are $45,873, below the $48,360 high-school baseline, so on this institution-wide metric the degree does not clear its cost. Program choice is what changes that. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
On institution-wide earnings, North Carolina Wesleyan University does not clear its cost — it ranks #32 of 115 North Carolina colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $17,432/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $69,728 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $45,873 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$2,487/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $25,000 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$119,468 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on North Carolina Wesleyan University's own numbers. Net price $17,432 × 4 years = $69,728 total. Median earnings $45,873 fall $2,487 short of the $48,360 high-school baseline, so the premium this formula divides by is not positive and no break-even year exists on institution-wide pay. A programme here earning $58,360 would clear the $69,728 bill in about 7.0 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do North Carolina Wesleyan University students graduate with?
A median $25,000 in federal loans among completers, or 54% of the $45,873 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of North Carolina Wesleyan University students graduate?
42% finish their degree — 58% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $69,728 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $166,019 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is North Carolina Wesleyan University expensive compared with other North Carolina colleges?
Its $17,432 net price runs $6,586 above the $10,846 median across the 115 North Carolina colleges we profile, or $26,344 more across the full degree.