Best Online Computer Science Programs in Gastonia, NC (2026)

Gastonia, North Carolina has a population of about 81,632. The city’s median household income is $60,554 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 27.7% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. Our directory has 51 accredited schools offering computer science programs near Gastonia, with tuition ranging from $2,367 to $30,286 per year for indexed programs. In the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC metro area, the top-earning computer science-related role is Computer and Information Systems Manager at a median $172,100 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2024).


Closest Computer Science Schools to Gastonia

The 10 accredited institutions below are the closest among the 51 schools in our directory that offer computer science programs near Gastonia. Distances are calculated from Gastonia city center.

SchoolCityDistanceTuitionOnline
DeVry University-North CarolinaCharlotte, NC16.3 miContact school for pricing
Johnson C Smith UniversityCharlotte, NC18.5 miContact school for pricing
Winthrop UniversityRock Hill, SC23.0 mi$15,956 - $30,286
Davidson CollegeDavidson, NC25.9 miContact school for pricing
University of North Carolina at CharlotteCharlotte, NC25.9 miContact school for pricing
Gardner-Webb UniversityBoiling Springs, NC27.2 miContact school for pricing
Limestone UniversityGaffney, SC29.4 miContact school for pricing
Catawba Valley Community CollegeHickory, NC31.6 mi$2,367 - $18,703
Lenoir-Rhyne UniversityHickory, NC34.8 miContact school for pricing
Converse UniversitySpartanburg, SC46.1 miContact school for pricing

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


Computer Science Wages Near Gastonia

Gastonia is part of the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC metro area (BLS area code 16740). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to North Carolina statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Software Developer$132,100Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC$135,766
Computer Systems Analyst$110,020Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC$113,073
Computer Network Architect$129,640Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC$133,237
Database Administrator$109,940Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC$112,991
Database Architect$138,480Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC$142,323
Information Security Analyst$127,840Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC$131,387
Computer Network Support Specialist$65,380Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC$67,194
Computer User Support Specialist$61,250Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC$62,950
Web Developer$96,110Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC$98,777
Web and Digital Interface Designer$96,450Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC$99,126
Computer and Information Systems Manager$172,100Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC$176,876

Source: BLS, May 2024 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.


Gastonia at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population81,632Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$60,554Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+27.7%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)97.3 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024
Computer Science-related employment in Gaston County284 workers, 102 establishmentsBLS QCEW 2024 annual

Other Gastonia-Area Cities With Computer Science Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited computer science schools are near Gastonia, NC?

Our directory has 51 accredited schools offering computer science programs near Gastonia. The closest is DeVry University-North Carolina in Charlotte, NC (16.3 miles), and the farthest in our top picks is Converse University (46.1 miles). 0 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying computer science roles near Gastonia?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2024 wage data, the top-paying computer science-related roles near Gastonia are: Computer and Information Systems Manager ($172,100), Database Architect ($138,480), Software Developer ($132,100). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with North Carolina statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Lincolnton instead of Gastonia?

Lincolnton, NC is 15.8 miles from Gastonia and has its own set of local computer science programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Gastonia an affordable place to study computer science?

Gastonia’s median household income of $60,554 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Gastonia 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.


Data verified: May 5, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2024; 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.