North Carolina · Accounting and Related Services

Best colleges for Accounting and Related Services in North Carolina

Ranked by graduate earnings

Elon University, North Carolina State University at Raleigh and Appalachian State University are the top bachelor's Accounting and Related Services programs in North Carolina by graduate earnings. Elon University leads with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $69,764, College Scorecard. University of North Carolina at Charlotte, East Carolina University and North Carolina State University at Raleigh award the most Accounting and Related Services degrees in North Carolina: 207, 164 and 137 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 82 North Carolina colleges offer Accounting and Related Services and award 3,478 degrees and certificates a year in all.

The Accounting and Related Services program provides students with a comprehensive understanding of accounting principles and practices. This program is designed for individuals interested in pursuing a career in accounting, auditing, or…

Institutions
82
offering CIP 52.03
States & territories
58
with a program page
Degrees / yr
3,478
IPEDS completions 2024–25
Median starting salary
$52,373
1 yr after graduation, College Scorecard
With earnings data
26
College Scorecard
Median net price
$22,639
IPEDS 2024–25
Avg graduation rate
47%
IPEDS 2024–25
State pay · Accountants and Auditors
$93,810
BLS OEWS May 2025

Top 10 bachelor's programs, ranked by graduate earnings

Ranked by median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard. Programs with fewer than 20 graduates a year, a graduation rate under 30%, or online, degree-completion or graduate-only status rank after the rest.

Starting salary (1 yr): median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.
#InstitutionStarting salary (1 yr)Graduates / yrGrad rateNet priceMedian debt
1Elon University
Elon Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$69,7646184%$33,688$20,000
2North Carolina State University at Raleigh
Raleigh Public · Bachelor's degree
$56,60613785%—$20,946
3Appalachian State University
Boone Public · Bachelor's degree
$55,67112775%—$23,262
4Wingate University
Wingate Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$51,4374346%$21,585$25,000
5University of North Carolina at Charlotte
Charlotte Public · Bachelor's degree
$50,92820769%—$22,500
6North Carolina A & T State University
Greensboro Public · Bachelor's degree
$50,7364757%—$27,000
7East Carolina University
Greenville Public · Bachelor's degree
$48,35116463%—$22,814
8University of North Carolina at Greensboro
Greensboro Public · Bachelor's degree
$47,20713656%—$21,633
9Gardner-Webb University
Boiling Springs Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$44,2612855%$22,863$27,000
10Western Carolina University
Cullowhee Public · Bachelor's degree
$40,6073360%—$20,000

Top 5 certificate and associate programs

Shorter credentials, ranked separately so they are not compared with four-year degrees. Ranked by median earnings one year after completion (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.

Starting salary (1 yr): median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.
#InstitutionStarting salary (1 yr)Graduates / yrGrad rateNet priceMedian debt
1Central Piedmont Community College
Charlotte Public · Associate degree
$45,09211531%——
2Davidson-Davie Community College
Thomasville Public · Certificate
$41,5327946%——
3Wake Technical Community College
Raleigh Public · Certificate
$38,25863433%—$16,592
4Wayne Community College
Goldsboro Public · Associate degree
$32,9797049%——
5Catawba Valley Community College
Hickory Public · Certificate Small program
$35,9721335%——

Colleges awarding the most Accounting and Related Services degrees in North Carolina

Top 10 by graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25 completions). Certificate and associate programs, online, degree-completion and graduate-only schools, and schools with a graduation rate under 30% are listed in full below.

Graduates / yr: degrees and certificates awarded in a year, IPEDS completions. Starting salary (1 yr): median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.
#InstitutionGraduates / yrStarting salary (1 yr)
1University of North Carolina at Charlotte
Charlotte Public
207$50,928
2East Carolina University
Greenville Public
164$48,351
3North Carolina State University at Raleigh
Raleigh Public
137$56,606
4University of North Carolina at Greensboro
Greensboro Public
136$47,207
5Appalachian State University
Boone Public
127$55,671
6Pitt Community College
Winterville Public
76Not reported
7Cape Fear Community College
Wilmington Public
74Not reported
8Gaston College
Dallas Public
64Not reported
9Elon University
Elon Private not-for-profit
61$69,764
10Lenoir Community College
Kinston Public
59Not reported
Show the other 72 North Carolina colleges offering Accounting and Related Services
InstitutionCityControlGraduates / yr
Wake Technical Community CollegeRaleighPublic634
Fayetteville Technical Community CollegeFayettevillePublic118
Central Piedmont Community CollegeCharlottePublic115
Davidson-Davie Community CollegeThomasvillePublic79
Wayne Community CollegeGoldsboroPublic70
Surry Community CollegeDobsonPublic68
Mitchell Community CollegeStatesvillePublic64
Guilford Technical Community CollegeJamestownPublic49
North Carolina A & T State UniversityGreensboroPublic47
Fayetteville State UniversityFayettevillePublic46
Forsyth Technical Community CollegeWinston-SalemPublic46
Randolph Community CollegeAsheboroPublic45
Wake Forest UniversityWinston-SalemPrivate not-for-profit43
Wingate UniversityWingatePrivate not-for-profit43
Strayer University - North Carolina (Online)GreensboroPrivate for-profit41
Rowan-Cabarrus Community CollegeSalisburyPublic40
Richmond Community CollegeHamletPublic39
Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community CollegeAshevillePublic37
Blue Ridge Community CollegeFlat RockPublic37
Wilkes Community CollegeWilkesboroPublic35
Coastal Carolina Community CollegeJacksonvillePublic33
Western Carolina UniversityCullowheePublic33
Johnston Community CollegeSmithfieldPublic32
Piedmont Community CollegeRoxboroPublic32
Gardner-Webb UniversityBoiling SpringsPrivate not-for-profit28
Western Piedmont Community CollegeMorgantonPublic28
High Point UniversityHigh PointPrivate not-for-profit27
University of North Carolina at PembrokePembrokePublic25
Sampson Community CollegeClintonPublic25
Central Carolina Community CollegeSanfordPublic20
Stanly Community CollegeAlbemarlePublic19
University of Mount OliveMount OlivePrivate not-for-profit17
University of North Carolina AshevilleAshevillePublic17
Alamance Community CollegeGrahamPublic17
Campbell UniversityBuies CreekPrivate not-for-profit16
Methodist UniversityFayettevillePrivate not-for-profit16
South Piedmont Community CollegePolktonPublic15
James Sprunt Community CollegeKenansvillePublic15
Winston-Salem State UniversityWinston-SalemPublic15
Brunswick Community CollegeBoliviaPublic14
North Carolina Wesleyan UniversityRocky MountPrivate not-for-profit14
Wilson Community CollegeWilsonPublic14
Catawba Valley Community CollegeHickoryPublic13
North Carolina Central UniversityDurhamPublic13
Isothermal Community CollegeSpindalePublic12
Lenoir-Rhyne UniversityHickoryPrivate not-for-profit12
Nash Community CollegeRocky MountPublic12
Southwestern Community CollegeSylvaPublic12
Sandhills Community CollegePinehurstPublic11
Vance-Granville Community CollegeHendersonPublic11
Haywood Community CollegeClydePublic10
Martin Community CollegeWilliamstonPublic10
Craven Community CollegeNew BernPublic8
Guilford CollegeGreensboroPrivate not-for-profit8
McDowell Technical Community CollegeMarionPublic8
Belmont Abbey CollegeBelmontPrivate not-for-profit7
Caldwell Community College and Technical InstituteHudsonPublic7
Meredith CollegeRaleighPrivate not-for-profit6
Edgecombe Community CollegeTarboroPublic5
Elizabeth City State UniversityElizabeth CityPublic5
Pamlico Community CollegeGrantsboroPublic5
Pfeiffer UniversityMisenheimerPrivate not-for-profit5
Robeson Community CollegeLumbertonPublic5
Shaw UniversityRaleighPrivate not-for-profit5
Durham Technical Community CollegeDurhamPublic4
Johnson & Wales University - CharlotteCharlottePrivate not-for-profit3
Queens University of CharlotteCharlottePrivate not-for-profit2
Tri-County Community CollegeMurphyPublic2
Catawba CollegeSalisburyPrivate not-for-profit1
Greensboro CollegeGreensboroPrivate not-for-profit1
Montreat CollegeMontreatPrivate not-for-profit1
Saint Augustine's UniversityRaleighPrivate not-for-profit1

Career outlook

What this program leads to: Accountants and Auditors (SOC 13-2011).

Projected growth (2024–2034)
+4.6%
About as fast as average
Openings / yr (US)
~124,200
BLS Employment Projections
US median wage
$81,680
typically Bachelor's degree

Top skills

Reading ComprehensionCritical ThinkingActive ListeningSpeakingWritingMonitoring

What Accountants and Auditors earn in North Carolina

Jobs in North Carolina
49,270
BLS OEWS May 2025
State average pay
$93,810
median $82,050
Best-paying metro
$101,910
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC

Related careers

Accountants and Auditors
$93,810 avg · 49,270 jobs
Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks
$49,780 avg · 48,760 jobs
Financial Managers
$196,240 avg · 22,460 jobs
Financial and Investment Analysts
$109,880 avg · 12,710 jobs
Payroll and Timekeeping Clerks
$54,800 avg · 3,630 jobs
Credit Analysts
$102,440 avg · 3,270 jobs

Common questions

Answers for students comparing Accounting and Related Services programs in North Carolina.

Which North Carolina colleges award the most Accounting and Related Services degrees?+

University of North Carolina at Charlotte (207 graduates a year), East Carolina University (164 graduates a year) and North Carolina State University at Raleigh (137 graduates a year) award the most Accounting and Related Services degrees in North Carolina, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 82 North Carolina colleges offer Accounting and Related Services.

What is the best college for Accounting and Related Services in North Carolina?+

By graduate earnings, Elon University leads among bachelor's Accounting and Related Services programs in North Carolina, with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $69,764, College Scorecard. North Carolina State University at Raleigh and Appalachian State University follow. By degrees awarded, University of North Carolina at Charlotte is the largest, with 207 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25).

Which Accounting and Related Services program in North Carolina has the highest-earning graduates?+

By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, Elon University tops the list at $69,764. Compare it against graduates a year, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.

How much do Accountants and Auditors earn in North Carolina?+

The average annual wage for Accountants and Auditors in North Carolina is $93,810 (median $82,050), across about 49,270 jobs. Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.

What is the focus of the Accounting and Related Services program?+

The Accounting and Related Services program provides students with a comprehensive understanding of accounting principles and practices. This program is designed for individuals interested in pursuing a career in accounting, auditing, or…

What skills will I develop in this program?+

You will develop reading comprehension, critical thinking, active listening, speaking, and related professional skills.

What is the job outlook for Accountants and Auditors?+

The national job outlook is about +4.6% growth with around 124,200 annual openings (BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034).

What is the typical education requirement?+

A Bachelor's degree is the typical entry-level education for this field (BLS).

About the data on this page

Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.

IPEDSFall 2025–26 release, published July 28, 2026
Enrollment, completions, graduation rates, tuition, financial aid, staffing, and finance for every U.S. institution in federal student aid programs.
College ScorecardJune 10, 2026 release (merged 2025–26 files)
Institution and field-of-study costs, graduate earnings, debt, completion, and admissions outcomes compiled from federal aid records, tax data, and IPEDS.
PSEO graduate earnings2019–21 graduation cohorts (release V4.13.0)
Earnings and employment outcomes of graduates by institution, degree level, and field of study, measured from state wage records.
BLS wages & outlookOEWS May 2025 release
Occupational employment and wage estimates plus 10-year job outlook, used to connect programs to real-world earnings.
FVT/GE program performanceProvisional preview, May 18, 2026 release
Program-level debt-to-earnings and earnings-premium measures behind the FVT/GE and STATS accountability frameworks.

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