Best Online Master’s Programs in North Carolina 2023

Best Online Master’s Programs in North Carolina 2023

By James Barham
Reviewed By AI Staff

Published: May 11, 2022
Updated: Mar 13, 2023

Find the best online colleges in North Carolina ranked by the academic success of faculty and alumni associated with the colleges and universities and their online degree programs. Faculty and alumni with influential ideas are the foundation of respectable online degree programs employers can trust.

Top 10 Online Master's Programs in North Carolina

Duke University

74%

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

67%

North Carolina State University

56%

Wake Forest University

49%

East Carolina University

42%

University of North Carolina at Charlotte

42%

University of North Carolina at Greensboro

40%

Campbell University

38%

Appalachian State University

36%

Meredith College

32%

East Carolina University

94%

University of North Carolina at Pembroke

92%

University of North Carolina at Greensboro

91%

90%

Montreat College

90%

Campbell University

87%

Lenoir–Rhyne University

86%

Appalachian State University

85%

University of Mount Olive

83%

Fayetteville State University

82%

University of North Carolina at Charlotte

20 to 1

East Carolina University

19 to 1

Western Carolina University

17 to 1

Fayetteville State University

17 to 1

University of North Carolina Wilmington

17 to 1

Winston-Salem State University

16 to 1

University of North Carolina at Greensboro

16 to 1

Appalachian State University

16 to 1

University of Mount Olive

16 to 1

15 to 1

Duke University

$60,244

Wake Forest University

$59,770

Lenoir–Rhyne University

$41,500

Meredith College

$41,224

Queens University of Charlotte

$38,726

Campbell University

$38,160

Methodist University

$36,960

North Carolina Wesleyan University

$33,371

Pfeiffer University

$32,480

Gardner–Webb University

$32,200

Duke University

$57,900

Wake Forest University

$38,650

Methodist University

$38,428

University of Mount Olive

$18,000

North Carolina Wesleyan University

$17,335

Campbell University

$14,041

Queens University of Charlotte

$13,552

Meredith College

$13,194

Pfeiffer University

$12,240

Lenoir–Rhyne University

$12,060

North Carolina Wesleyan University

10%

Lees–McRae College

14%

Lenoir–Rhyne University

15%

Gardner–Webb University

19%

Pfeiffer University

20%

University of Mount Olive

21%

Montreat College

23%

University of North Carolina Wilmington

23%

Fayetteville State University

24%

University of North Carolina at Pembroke

26%

Duke University

6%

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

20%

Wake Forest University

25%

North Carolina Wesleyan University

28%

North Carolina State University

47%

Lees–McRae College

59%

University of North Carolina Wilmington

68%

Queens University of Charlotte

69%

Meredith College

70%

Pfeiffer University

72%

Duke University

6 to 1

Montreat College

8 to 1

Queens University of Charlotte

10 to 1

Methodist University

10 to 1

Pfeiffer University

10 to 1

Wake Forest University

11 to 1

Lees–McRae College

11 to 1

Meredith College

11 to 1

Lenoir–Rhyne University

13 to 1

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

13 to 1

Western Carolina University

$1,000

University of North Carolina at Pembroke

$1,000

Fayetteville State University

$2,982

Winston-Salem State University

$3,401

University of North Carolina at Charlotte

$3,812

Appalachian State University

$4,242

University of North Carolina at Greensboro

$4,422

University of North Carolina Wilmington

$4,443

East Carolina University

$4,452

North Carolina State University

$6,535

Fayetteville State University

$3,438

Winston-Salem State University

$3,872

University of North Carolina at Pembroke

$4,280

University of North Carolina at Charlotte

$4,337

Western Carolina University

$4,435

University of North Carolina Wilmington

$4,719

East Carolina University

$4,749

Appalachian State University

$4,839

University of North Carolina at Greensboro

$5,219

$8,100

Featured Programs

Colleges and Universities in North Carolina

Among these schools are over 60 public colleges and universities, including the state’s largest school, North Carolina State University, which serves almost 30,000 students. Tuition costs average about $9,000, just below the national average, and students also have the option to enroll in over 1,000 online courses. Another notable public school is the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, which is one of the country’s oldest universities.

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The 25,000 students who attend UNC will walk the same halls as Francis Collins, Thomas Wolfe, and former president James K. Polk. North Carolina’s private schools have also made a name for themselves, including the well-known Duke University located in Durham. Here, students can earn degrees in some of the top programs, like nursing, political science, and business. Additionally, students can attend one of the many small schools which serve less than 5,000 students, like Campbell University in Buies Creek, or a religiously affiliated school, like Mid-Atlantic Christian University in Elizabeth City.

From its coastal beaches to its lush forests, it’s no wonder the Wright Brothers dreamed of taking flight over North Carolina. This state is rich with history, scenic views, and famous people who once called it home, like John Coltrane and Nicholas Sparks. Students hoping to earn their associate, bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degree also have the option of choosing from over 100 schools in the Tar Heel State.

Whether you prefer ocean views or wooded forests, North Carolina has something for everyone. Discover more about the state’s higher learning options.

What are North Carolina’s Colleges & Universities?

North Carolina’s Best Overall

Online master’s degrees offered by respected colleges and universities are generally respected by employers. The main thing to consider about your online master’s choices is whether the school name is well known and respected. In many cases, employers won’t know your degree was earned online. But even if they do, a degree from a respected college is automatically to your benefit.

We rank the colleges and universities in this list by the influence of their alumni and faculty. For master’s degree students, including online master’s degree students, having faculty who are influential in your field matters a lot. It’s a big indicator that you have the chance to get a quality education. And, knowing that you will join an alumni association with some impressive people is nice, too.

Frequently Asked Questions About Online Master’s Degrees

An online master’s degree costs about $40,000 for the average grad student. However, the cost of your online master’s degree will depend on the type of grad school you attend. In 2018-2019, the average cost for a year of tuition in a public grad school was $12,171. The average cost for a year of tuition in private, non-profit grad school was $27,776. An online master’s degree will usually cost about the same as a traditional master’s degree. Some schools will charge 5-10% more for online courses. This added cost pays for the technology and specialized training needed for online instruction. But getting a master’s degree online can also help you save money. The costs above don’t include expenses like housing, transportation, or certain campus fees. As an online grad student, you can save a lot of money by avoiding these added expenses. Many online master’s degree programs are also accelerated. Most master’s degree programs are designed to be completed in two years. But you may be able to earn your online master’s degree in as little as 12-18 months. Earning an accelerated online master’s degree can save you money on tuition.

If this is your first time taking an online course, the experience may require some adjustment. While you’ll generally learn the same content and take the same exams as your on-campus peers, the medium will likely require you to manage much of this experience independently. You’ll be accountable for your own time management, your ability to harness the technology at your fingertips, and your ability to focus on the lectures, lessons, and assignments at hand. This means you’ll need to create a suitable workspace for yourself, maintain a realistic schedule, and take it upon yourself to build relationships with your instructors and classmates. With online college, your goal is to find a balance between independence and engagement.

In most cases, as long you graduate from a well-regarded, regionally-accredited online college, prospective employers won’t look sideways at your degree. In fact, unless you attend an exclusively online college or university, there will likely be no specific indicator on your degree, transcript or resume differentiating your school from its brick-and-mortar counterpart. This means that your employer will likely only differentiate between an online and in-person degree if you mention this distinction.

While some employers may express concern about making the adjustment from online education to in-person workplace collaboration, many other employers will view your online degree as evidence of valuable 21st Century professional skills such as independence, self-motivation, time management, and tech savvy.

The advantages of online classes are many. First and foremost, online courses give you the freedom and flexibility to attend class from anywhere that works for you, whether you’re at home, in a coffee shop, or in a quiet conference room at work. In many cases, you’ll also enjoy the convenience of asynchronous learning opportunities-educational experiences that you can complete on your own schedule. This may include pre-taped lectures, ongoing chat-board discussions, and 24/7 access to digital materials. And of course, just as there are some learners who prefer the energy of a live classroom, there are those who learn best when working in their own personal space, free from distractions. If this sounds like you, you might find the solitude of online learning to be a major advantage.

If you are a student who thrives on the dynamic energy of in-person discussion, who requires the physical surroundings of a classroom to feel engaged, or who considers the social aspects of education to be of equal importance to the actual content of your courses, online education will require some adjustment.

While there is much that can be supplanted or simulated through the online medium, some students may find that there is nothing which can replace the conversation, collaboration, and motivation that occur in an actual classroom setting. As you make the adjustment to online education, one of the biggest challenges you will likely face is overcoming this difference in order to the get the most out of your classes. Fortunately, we’ve got some great Tips for Online Education Beginners.

Best Online Colleges in North Carolina — Download Badge

How do we determine North Carolina's best online Master's degree programs?

The people affiliated with a school are ultimately what make it great! If you are serious about finding the best colleges and universities for a bachelor’s degree, you should be asking where the most influential professors are teaching and whether their graduates are themselves advancing the school’s reputation for academic excellence in their fields of study.

Most ranking sites rely on an opaque combination of reputation surveys and arbitrary performance metrics. Concentrated Influence provides a ranking that is freer from bias, insulated from manipulation, and reflective of real-world educational outcomes.

To rank the influence of schools, we first determine the influence of scholars and professionals based on the number of citations and publications they have had over the past 10 years. In addition to publications and citations, we consider the web links to and from these sources, and the page views of those sources. We then match the influential people to their alma maters and institutions of employment, so that their influence is attributed to those schools. Our machine-learning Influence Ranking algorithm produces a numerical score of academic achievements, merits, and citations across Wikipedia, wikidata, Crossref, Semantic Scholar and an ever-growing body of data. If you are interested in exploring how and why we rank by influence, explore our methodology in more depth.

Best Online Master’s Program in North Carolina 2022

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