North Carolina Engineering Schools
Did You Know?
North Carolina’s cheapest Engineering Program is located at Forsyth Technical Community College, and costs$1,728 annually.
North Carolina is one of the leading states in engineering and technology. As one of the oldest states in the country, North Carolina has blossomed with diverse cultural and economic regions that add to its rich history. North Carolina has dozens of large cities that are tourist and financial capitals for the state.
The largest city, Charlotte, is second to New York City as being the headquarters for the most financial firms on the East Coast. The state capital of Raleigh, plus the cities of Durham and Chapel Hill, create the Research Triangle, a network of towns and cities that promote and house biotechnology and engineering firms in North Carolina. Finally, the Piedmont Triad, which includes the cities of Greensboro, Winston-Salem, and High Point, are the home to major manufacturing and textile firms.
Engineering Education in North Carolina
Engineering professions are spread across different industries, allowing for many different academic concentrations at schools. Some examples of common engineering fields include civil, electrical, chemical, and industrial.
There are eight public universities that have engineering bachelor’s programs. These schools include three University of North Carolina campuses (Chapel Hill, Asheville, Charlotte) North Carolina State University in Raleigh, North Carolina A&T State University in Greensboro, or Appalachian State University in Boone.
In addition, there are five private universities offering engineering undergraduate programs, including Duke University in Durham, Elon University, and Johnson C. Smith University in Charlotte.
Nine public and private universities in North Carolina offer graduate programs in engineering, including Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, East Carolina University in Greenville, and Western Carolina University in Cullowhee.
There are fifty-four community colleges in North Carolina, including Central Piedmont Community College, the largest in the state, that have associate’s or certificate programs in engineering.
Outlook for Engineering Jobs in North Carolina
Since engineering is within different economic sectors, employment demand and salary ranges vary. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS outlines that there are 53,280 total engineers in North Carolina who earn $69,510 a year as of May 2011. Within those figures, the BLS states that there are 270 biomedical engineers who make $89,780 a year.
In contrast, there are 7,730 civil engineers who earn $73,980 a year. Another example includes electrical engineers, who make $88,390 a year with 2,620 workers employed in the state.