Best Computer Engineering Schools Near Kinston, NC (2026)

Kinston, North Carolina has 6 accredited schools offering computer engineering programs, with tuition ranging from $2,578 to $68,758 per year for indexed programs. Kinston has a population of about 19,576. Median household income is $35,250 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 16.1% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In North Carolina, the top-earning computer engineering-related role is Software Developer at a median $134,710 annually (BLS, May 2025).


Closest Computer Engineering Schools to Kinston

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer computer engineering programs near Kinston, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Kinston city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS data on every site update.

How We Rank Schools

Every school list on this site is ordered by the BOC Score, computed from the most recent school-level data published by the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and IPEDS). To qualify, a school must be currently operating and accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Each eligible school is then scored on five measures, percentile-ranked against schools at the same credential level:

  • Graduation rate 30%
  • Median earnings, 10 years after entry 25%
  • Average net price (lower is better) 20%
  • Retention rate 15%
  • Fully online availability 10%

Schools without enough outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score. On this page, schools are ordered by distance from Kinston. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

#1

Nash Community College

Rocky Mount, NC 51.4 miles from Kinston BOC Score 52.0
  • 2 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 28%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $34,912
Avg net price $3,338/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 38

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Central Carolina Community College

Sanford, NC 88.4 miles from Kinston BOC Score 60.6
  • 2 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 42%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $33,525
Avg net price $5,446/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 71

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Sandhills Community College

Pinehurst, NC 102.3 miles from Kinston BOC Score 58.9
  • 2 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 36%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $31,656
Avg net price $4,157/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 44

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Richmond Community College

Hamlet, NC 122.3 miles from Kinston BOC Score 49.0
  • 2 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 37%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $29,951
Avg net price $5,071/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 31

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

Stanly Community College

Albemarle, NC 149.0 miles from Kinston BOC Score 53.1
  • 2 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 38%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $36,686
Avg net price $5,721/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 37

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Forsyth Technical Community College

Winston-Salem, NC 160.0 miles from Kinston BOC Score 52.9
  • 2 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 33%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $34,139
Avg net price $7,200/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 66

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

Central Piedmont Community College

Charlotte, NC 182.6 miles from Kinston BOC Score 52.6
  • 2 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 24%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $37,865
Avg net price $3,345/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 89

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Gaston College

Dallas, NC 203.0 miles from Kinston BOC Score 51.1
  • 2 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Graduation rate 59%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $35,386
Avg net price $6,592/yr
Tuition
In‑state$3,186
Out‑of‑state$9,330
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 53

Source:Accreditor: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on CollegesIPEDSCollege Scorecard

Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all North Carolina schools on the North Carolina computer engineering page.


Computer Engineering Wages Near Kinston

OccupationMedian Annual Wage (North Carolina, statewide)
Computer Hardware Engineer$134,670
Electronics Engineer$115,920
Software Developer$134,710
Computer Network Architect$127,320

Source: BLS, May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes wage data at the metro (MSA) and state level – not by individual city.


Kinston at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population19,576Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$35,250Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+16.1%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)

Other Kinston-Area Cities With Computer Engineering Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited computer engineering schools are near Kinston, NC?

Our directory has 6 accredited schools offering computer engineering programs near Kinston. The closest is Lenoir Community College in Kinston, NC (3.1 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Duke University (90.6 miles). 6 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying computer engineering roles in North Carolina?

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying computer engineering-related roles in North Carolina are: Software Developer ($134,710), Computer Hardware Engineer ($134,670), Computer Network Architect ($127,320). Wages for Kinston workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Goldsboro instead of Kinston?

Goldsboro, NC is 22.5 miles from Kinston and has its own set of local computer engineering programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Kinston an affordable place to study computer engineering?

Kinston’s median household income of $35,250 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Kinston while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and North Carolina public universities often offer reduced in-state online tuition.

How do I verify a program is accredited?

Confirm institutional accreditation via the U.S. Department of Education database (U.S. Dept. of Education database), and check for any program-specific accreditation listed by the school.


Learn More About Computer Engineering Programs

Other Programs Available in Kinston

Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Kinston:

Data verified: August 11, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2024–2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.