Carolina University is a private nonprofit institution offering graduate degrees based in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. It enrolls 460 students (a very small, intimate student body), according to IPEDS 2023-24 data. Every figure on this page is reported by the federal government, not supplied by the college, so it can be compared like for like against anywhere else you are looking.
AccreditorTransnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools
Academic CalendarSemester
How It Measures Up
These four scores answer one question: compared with similar colleges, is this one worth the money? Each runs 0 to 100 and is judged only against its peer group (4-Year Selective), so a community college is never marked down for not being Harvard. Everything is computed from federal data. Nobody can pay to move a score, and a pillar with missing data is left unscored rather than guessed.
Fair
49/100
UCD Score · 4-Year Selective
Outcomes4
Value7
Affordability54
Selectivity89
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
Carolina University admits 39.5% of applicants, which makes it genuinely competitive, so your application needs to be strong.
Acceptance Rate
39.5%
Selective
SAT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
ACT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
Test PolicyTest OptionalApplicants choose whether to submit SAT or ACT scores.
5-Year Admission Trend
Acceptance rate over the last five admission cycles. The trend tells you whether Carolina University is getting harder, easier, or staying about the same.
Becoming less selective ↑
5.4 pts
since 2019
Cost & Financial Aid
Ignore the sticker price. What matters is the net price, which is what a typical family pays here after grants and scholarships come off. At $20,828 a year on average, it sits in line with what private nonprofit colleges charge nationally. Plan for the gap between that and what you can pay without borrowing. Figures are College Scorecard 2023-24.
Published cost of attendance, the sticker price before grants and scholarships. Most students underestimate room & board and other expenses.
Tuition & Fees
$17,575
Room & Board (on-campus)
$12,400
Room & Board (off-campus)
$12,400
Books & Supplies
$2,600
Other Expenses (on-campus)
$4,000
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$4,000
Total Cost of Attendance
$32,680
Application fee: $25 (one-time, due at submission)
Net Price by Family Income
Aid is need-based, so net price varies by family income. Here's what each bracket typically pays after grants and scholarships.
Under $30,000
$17,738
$30,001 – $48,000
$17,560
$48,001 – $75,000
$22,993
$75,001 – $110,000
$23,597
Over $110,000
$24,152
Debt at Graduation
Cumulative federal-loan debt across the full borrowing distribution. The 10th and 90th percentiles bracket the typical range; the median sits in the middle.
$2,75010%percentile
$5,50025%percentile
$20,287Medianpercentile
$16,12575%percentile
$25,95090%percentile
Median Debt by Student Type
Median federal-loan debt at graduation broken down by demographic. Each slice's size is proportional to the dollar amount that group typically borrows.
GroupDebtvs Median
Pell recipients $12,635
↓ $7,652
No Pell $7,500
↓ $12,787
Dependent students $10,250
↓ $10,037
Independent students $16,500
↓ $3,787
Female students $9,500
↓ $10,787
Male students $12,635
↓ $7,652
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $7,417, less than completers ($20,287), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.
Graduation Rate & Retention
13% of students who start here finish within six years, and 56% come back after first year. Most students who start here do not finish. That is the single most important number on this page. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
Completion and earnings carry the most weight in this college's score, and how the UCD Score weighs each measure sets out exactly how they are combined.
6-Year Graduation Rate
13%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
56%
Returning for their second year
What this means:
Lower than typical completion. Worth asking the school how they support students who fall behind.
After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes
Ten years after starting here, the median student earns $32,864 a year, below the national median. Weigh that against the cost above before taking on debt here. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$32,864
Earning > $25K
54%
10 yrs after entry
Earnings Growth After Graduation
Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.
What this means:
Moderate return on investment. Every dollar of net annual cost is matched by ~$1.6 of median earnings 10 years out. Compare carefully against your funding plan.
Who Studies Here
Who you would actually be sitting next to: 460 students, an intimate, close-knit community. Worth knowing: 33% are the first in their family to go to college.
Total Enrolled
460
Part-Time
4%
First-Generation
33%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
International 33.5%154
White 28.3%130
Black 18.0%83
Hispanic 12.0%55
Other 6.3%29
Asian 2.0%9
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at Carolina University. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Carolina University offers
a varied set of programs:
17 distinct programs across
9 majors.
Below are its strongest majors, each with flagship programs and typical earnings.
Open a major to explore it in depth, or browse the full program catalog.
There are 15 students for every instructor here: about average, so expect a mix of small seminars and big lectures.
Student : Faculty
15:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Endowment
$2.9M
Modest endowment
Avg Faculty Salary
$46,169
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
29 instructional faculty across 3 ranks.
The rank mix shows how many senior faculty are teaching versus contingent or junior staff, with average salary equated to a 9-month contract.
Rank
Faculty Count
Share
Avg Salary
Full Professors
5
17%
$56,400
Assistant Professors
20
69%
$44,558
Lecturers
4
14%
$41,437
Pros & Cons of Carolina University
No college is right for everyone. Here is where Carolina University is likely to suit you and where it may not, based on the same figures shown above.
Low completion rate, many students don't graduate within six years
First-year retention is below typical
Below-average post-graduation earnings
Best for:
Based on the data, Carolina University is a fit for
students who thrive in small, close-knit environments.
Frequently Asked Questions about Carolina University
The questions families ask most about Carolina University, answered straight from the federal data rather than from the college's own marketing.
Is Carolina University hard to get into?
Carolina University is selective but not extremely competitive. Its acceptance rate is 39.5%. Strong academic credentials and a thoughtful application materially improve your odds.
What is the acceptance rate at Carolina University?
39.5% of applicants are admitted. Around half get in, so a solid application has a real chance. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
How much does Carolina University cost?
Budget around $20,828 a year. That is the net price, what families typically pay once grants and scholarships come off, not the sticker price. Your own figure depends on household income, so treat this as a midpoint rather than a quote. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Carolina University worth it?
On the numbers, yes: moderate return on investment. Ten years in, the median graduate earns $32,864 a year against a net price of $20,828, about 1.6 dollars of earnings for every dollar of annual cost. That ratio ignores whether you finish and what you study, which matter just as much. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Carolina University known for?
Mostly Theology, Business Administration, Business Administration. Those are the fields where it awards the most degrees, which is a better guide to where the teaching strength sits than any reputation ranking. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What do Carolina University graduates earn?
About $32,864 a year, measured ten years after students first enrolled. Half earn more and half earn less, and what you study moves that figure far more than where you study. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Carolina University accredited?
Yes. Carolina University is accredited by the Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools.
How many students attend Carolina University?
460 students. Small enough that you will recognize faces across campus, and small enough that course choice can be limited. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What is the graduation rate at Carolina University?
13% finish within six years. That means most students do not finish in six years. Ask the school directly what support exists for students who fall behind. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
Is Carolina University a public or private college?
It is Private Nonprofit. Private nonprofit, so the sticker price is higher but institutional aid is often larger too.
Where is Carolina University located?
Carolina University is located in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
What programs does Carolina University offer?
17 different programs, most commonly Theology, Business Administration, Business Administration. If the subject you want is not among them, check the full list before applying rather than assuming it is offered.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Carolina University?
15 students per instructor. About average, so a mix of seminars and larger lectures. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
Related Colleges in North Carolina
Other colleges in North Carolina share the same applicant pool, regional economy, and academic landscape. Comparing nearby options puts admissions, costs, and outcomes in context, useful when weighing your fit against local alternatives.
Business Administration
Theology
Communication & Media
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