North Carolina Wesleyan University
Rocky Mount, North Carolina · Private Nonprofit · 80.2% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 25/100 · Below Benchmark
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
North Carolina Wesleyan University scores 25 (Below Benchmark) - a deeply problematic result driven by a 42.0% completion rate, a 19.3-year payback period, and a 46.5% one-year repayment rate that signals widespread borrower distress. Fewer than half of enrolled students graduate. Average 6-year earnings of $34,800 against a net price of $17,432 per year and median debt of $25,000 (debt-to-earnings 0.718) creates a financial profile where the typical graduate takes nearly two decades to pay back the cost of attendance. The repayment rate is 46.5%. Business Administration is by far the largest program (149 graduates) but posts only $37,358 year-one earnings with a D-grade ROI. Computer Science (32 graduates, $42,142 year-one) and Marketing (13 graduates, $45,880 year-one) are the relative bright spots. Psychology earns an F grade with a debt-to-earnings ratio of 1.009. This is a school where the data consistently signals poor outcomes; prospective students should weigh these numbers carefully.
How North Carolina Wesleyan University scores under our methodology
These are the College Scorecard measures that pull this school's CampusROI score down. They describe the published figures, not the quality of the education, and they are our reading of the data. Check them against your own aid offer and intended major.
- ROI Score25/100 - Below Benchmark tier of our scale (below 45). For context, 38% of the schools we score reach 60 or higher.
- Payback period19.3 years - The median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
North Carolina Wesleyan University
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $35,736/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $35,736/yr |
| Average net price | $17,432/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $69,728 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $45,873 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $34,800 |
| Median debt at graduation | $25,000 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $265 |
| Estimated payback period | 19.3 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 42.0% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 1,214 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The first number you'll see is the sticker price: $35,736/year, which covers tuition and fees only. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $17,432/year, or roughly $69,728 over four years. That's the number to plan around.
What you actually pay depends a lot on what your family earns. Families making under $30,000/year pay an average of $16,114/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $22,379/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $25,000, which works out to about $265 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($34,800) and comes to 0.72, under 1.0, meaning median debt is less than a full year of those earnings.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after grants and scholarships, by income bracket.
| Family Income | Avg Net Price/Year |
|---|---|
| $0 - $30,000 | $16,114 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $14,020 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $16,017 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $20,403 |
| $110,001+ | $22,379 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
The 0-30000 bracket pays $16,114 per year at NC Wesleyan, and the 30001-48000 bracket actually drops to $14,020 - one of the more unusual inversions on the schedule. Despite a 49.8% Pell rate, the aid structure does not make the school genuinely affordable for the lowest-income families. Against $34,800 average earnings and a 19.3-year payback, even $16k annual cost is a heavy burden for a student with a 42% institutional completion rate.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The 48001-75000 bracket pays $16,017, nearly identical to the lowest tier. The 75001-110000 bracket rises to $20,403. Middle-income families pay somewhat more without receiving proportionally better outcomes. The payback math is difficult at any income tier given the 19.3-year figure, which reflects the combination of modest earnings and real debt loads.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families above $110,000 pay $22,379 per year - roughly $89,516 over four years at net price. Full pay at NC Wesleyan comes with a 19.3-year payback and average 6-year earnings of $34,800.
Earnings by Major
Top 8 most popular majors at North Carolina Wesleyan University with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $50,983 | D |
| Psychology | $41,976 | F |
| Computer and Information Sciences | $53,598 | C+ |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $43,805 | D |
| Accounting | $53,327 | C |
| Marketing | $49,827 | C |
| Teacher Education | $50,733 | - |
| Religion/Religious Studies | $38,717 | - |
Earnings reflect median 4-year post-completion (or 1-year where 4-year unavailable). Grades based on debt-to-earnings ratio.
Program Analysis
Why these programs deliver their earnings outcomes.
Computer and Information Sciences
CS is NC Wesleyan's strongest program by ROI grade (C+): 32 graduates, $42,142 year-one earnings, $53,598 at year four, median debt of $22,186, and a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.526. Students with programming aptitude have a clearer path than in business or social science majors at this school.
Marketing
Marketing (13 graduates, small sample) earns a C grade: $45,880 year-one, $49,827 at year four, debt-to-earnings 0.574 on median debt of $26,354. Year-one earnings are above the school average, but the four-year figure of $49,827 reflects slow earnings growth - only a $4,000 increase from year one to year four. The C grade reflects adequate but not compelling financial outcomes.
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
Business Administration is the largest program at 149 graduates and earns a D grade: $37,358 year-one, $50,983 at year four, debt-to-earnings 0.736 on median debt of $27,499. Year-one earnings are barely above the school median, and the debt load is high relative to those earnings. This program's size reflects that it is the default credential path, not a standout value.
Criminal Justice and Corrections
Criminal Justice (31 graduates) earns a D grade: $33,735 year-one, $43,805 at year four, debt-to-earnings 0.874. The field typically leads to law enforcement, corrections, and security work in the regional market.
Psychology
Psychology (35 graduates) earns an F grade with a debt-to-earnings ratio of 1.009: $30,570 year-one, $41,976 at year four, median debt of $30,830. Graduates are effectively borrowing more than their first year of wages. Psychology at a small non-selective regional school with limited graduate school placement infrastructure is a high-risk credential for students carrying significant debt.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 38.6% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 46.5% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 46.0% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 51.2% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How North Carolina Wesleyan University’s cost and outcomes have moved across College Scorecard releases (2009-2024).
Average Net Price
Completion Rate
Median Earnings, 10 Years After Entry (as reported)
Earnings reflect borrowers measured 10 years after entry and publish on an irregular cadence with a multi-year reporting lag, so this series shows only the years the Department of Education reported - the data is never interpolated.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, release years shown. Net price and completion are reported annually.
Admissions Snapshot
| Acceptance rate | 80.2% |
| Enrollment | 1,214 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 49.8% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $6,597 |
With an 80.2% admission rate and no reported test score ranges, NC Wesleyan is broadly accessible. Admission is not the threshold here - completion is. Students should investigate retention and advising support rigorously before enrolling, because the 42% graduation rate means most students who enter do not finish.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Carolina Wesleyan University (this school) | 25 | $17,432 | $45,873 |
| Atlantic University | 26 | $6,425 | $25,272 |
| Mary Baldwin University | 25 | $12,756 | $44,427 |
| Barton College | 24 | $23,626 | $47,913 |
| Belmont Abbey College | 24 | $24,639 | $47,937 |
| University of Mobile | 22 | $22,382 | $43,611 |
Who Thrives Here
NC Wesleyan admits 80.2% of applicants and does not report standardized test score ranges in Scorecard. Enrollment is 1,214 students in Rocky Mount, NC. Pell rate of 49.8% is high, reflecting a predominantly low- and moderate-income student body. The completion rate of 42.0% is the dominant risk factor - roughly three in five enrolled students do not earn a degree. Students who are completing programs in business, IT, or accounting show decent but not exceptional outcomes. The school serves a specific regional population; students who can succeed here often have limited alternatives, but the non-completion risk must be confronted directly.
The Verdict: Below Benchmark Under Our Scoring
Under our methodology, North Carolina Wesleyan University scores 25/100, which falls in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At a net price of $17,432 per year, with typical graduate earnings of $45,873 ten years after entry, we estimate the payback period at about 19.3 years. In our view that makes the financial case a hard one to make on the numbers alone, but those numbers are averages: your major, your aid package and what you want from a degree all change the picture, so run your own numbers before you commit.
What to keep an eye on: weak earnings relative to cost, its 42.0% graduation rate, a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.72 (median across the schools we score: 0.61), a three-year loan repayment rate of 46.5% (median across the schools we score: 73.6%), a long payback period.
Median debt of $25,000 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $34,800 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.72. That is under 1.0 (a full year of those earnings); the median across the schools we score is about 0.61. Your major - and how much you borrow - really matters.
North Carolina Wesleyan University: Common Questions
Is North Carolina Wesleyan University worth it?
In our view, the financial case is a hard one to make on the numbers alone. North Carolina Wesleyan University scores 25/100 on our ROI scale, in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At $17,432 a year after aid against $45,873 in typical earnings ten years out, we estimate the payback period at about 19.3 years. Your major and aid package can change the picture, so run your own numbers.
How much does North Carolina Wesleyan University cost after financial aid?
The average net price - the cost of attendance (tuition, fees, books, supplies and average living costs) minus grants and scholarships, for full-time, first-time students receiving federal aid - is about $17,432 a year, or roughly $69,728 over four years. Because it counts living costs, it can run above tuition alone. That is the number to plan around. Actual cost varies by family income, per the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard.
What do North Carolina Wesleyan University graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $45,873 ten years after enrolling, roughly $4,073 a year more than the median high-school graduate ($41,800, per NCES, 2022). That earnings gap is what has to cover the cost of the degree.
How long does it take to pay off North Carolina Wesleyan University?
We estimate the payback period - the time it takes for the earnings bump over a high-school graduate to cover what you spent - at about 19.3 years for North Carolina Wesleyan University. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do North Carolina Wesleyan University graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $25,000, against average earnings of $34,800 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.72. That is under 1.0 (a full year of those earnings); the median across the schools we score is about 0.61. How much you borrow really matters.
What is the graduation rate at North Carolina Wesleyan University?
The six-year graduation rate is 42.0%. The national average for four-year schools is 64% (NCES, 2022). Completion is 15% of our ROI score, since a degree you don't finish rarely pays back.
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Data: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education)
Vintage: 2024-2025 · Last updated: 2026-03-25
Earnings reflect median outcomes for all federal financial aid recipients. Individual results vary by major, effort, and career path.