For the ninth consecutive year, North Carolina residents will benefit from frozen tuition at the state’s public universities.
Since 2016, the University of North Carolina Board of Governors has voted to keep tuition rates flat for resident undergraduates at all 16 of its universities. The University of North Carolina System, subject to a constitutional mandate to provide affordable, high-quality higher education for all North Carolinians, is committed to helping more students graduate on time, and with less debt.
“A UNC System degree is not only affordable, but also a good investment,” said UNC System President Peter Hans. “Our universities exist to serve North Carolinians from every community, every experience and every corner of our state.”
A 2024 study from the UNC System shows that a degree from one of North Carolina’s public universities pays off for those who graduate, with 94% of undergraduate degree holders seeing a positive return on investment, and 90% of low-income undergraduate degree holders experiencing upward economic mobility.
“The Board is committed to keeping total cost of attendance at our universities— tuition included — as low as possible,” said UNC Board of Governors Chair Wendy Murphy. “Our goal is to show North Carolinians a college path that is inviting to students at all income levels, that improves their lives and that sets them up for career success.”
Average in-state tuition at 12 of the 16 universities in the UNC System is $4,553 per year. The tuition is lower still — $1,000 per year — at the System’s four NC Promise institutions. Student fees, on average, are about $2,784 each year.
Because of the tuition freeze, the percentage of UNC System students graduating with debt has fallen, dropping from 61% in 2018-19 to less than 50% in 2023-24.
The UNC System’s story is reflective of larger trends.
Nationally, college tuition has become more affordable over the past decade. When factoring in tax benefits and adjusting for inflation, analysts found that Americans are paying roughly the same amount in tuition that they did in the 1990s, according to a recent Brookings study.
North Carolina’s public universities offer one of the best deals in the nation.
According to data from the College Board, the state charges the third lowest tuition and fees in the country for state residents who attend its public, four-year universities.
Still, the prevailing message is that college is out of reach.
The reason, analysts say, is “sticker pricing” that doesn’t reflect what families truly pay for a college education. Student financial aid, including scholarships and Pell Grants, go far to decrease the actual cost of student tuition, fees, room and board.
In North Carolina, all families who make $80,000 or less per year are eligible for annual scholarships of $5,000 or more to pay toward a UNC System degree. Systemwide, about 75% of resident students receive various forms of financial aid.
Families can learn more about their scholarship eligibility here.