Best Data Science Schools Near Wilmington, NC (2026)

Updated September 5, 2026 BLS data College Scorecard On this page

Wilmington, North Carolina is home to about 118,578 residents. Median household income is $63,900 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 45.8% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Wilmington, NC metro area, the top-earning data science-related role is Database Architects at a median $131,470 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Data Science Schools to Wilmington

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer data science programs near Wilmington, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Wilmington 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 Wilmington. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

Ranked by BOC Score — U.S. Dept. of Education outcome data. Advertising never affects rankings.

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#1

East Carolina University

Greenville, NC 100.9 miles from Wilmington
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
68.3 BOC Score
Graduation rate 66%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $55,146
Avg net price $15,739/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 82%
  • Programs offered: 165

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Duke University

Durham, NC 137.3 miles from Wilmington
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
82.1 BOC Score
Graduation rate 97%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $97,800
Avg net price $29,612/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 97%
  • Programs offered: 144

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#3

University of North Carolina at Charlotte

Charlotte, NC 178.4 miles from Wilmington
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
72.0 BOC Score
Graduation rate 67%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $57,289
Avg net price $15,435/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 85%
  • Programs offered: 122

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Carolina University

Winston-Salem, NC 186.2 miles from Wilmington
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
26.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 39%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $32,864
Avg net price $20,828/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 56%
  • Programs offered: 17

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#5

Wake Forest University

Winston-Salem, NC 189.5 miles from Wilmington
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
79.0 BOC Score
Graduation rate 90%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $78,158
Avg net price $28,719/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 94%
  • Programs offered: 84

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Data Science Wages Near Wilmington

Wilmington is part of the Wilmington, NC metro area (BLS area code 48900). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to North Carolina statewide.

Occupation Median Wage Source COL-Adjusted (US=100)
Data Scientists $93,090 Wilmington, NC $96,566
Statisticians $115,690 NC statewide $120,010
Operations Research Analysts $97,290 NC statewide $100,923
Software Developers $123,730 Wilmington, NC $128,351
Actuaries $128,730 NC statewide $133,537
Database Architects $131,470 Wilmington, NC $136,380
Computer Systems Analysts $93,830 Wilmington, NC $97,334
Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists $69,480 Wilmington, NC $72,075

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.

Wilmington at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 118,578 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $63,900 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 45.8% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 96.4 (below U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other Wilmington-Area Cities With Data Science Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the highest-paying data science roles near Wilmington?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying data science-related roles near Wilmington are: Database Architects ($131,470), Actuaries ($128,730), Software Developers ($123,730). 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 Jacksonville instead of Wilmington?

Jacksonville, NC is 45.6 miles from Wilmington and has its own set of local data science programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Wilmington an affordable place to study data science?

Wilmington’s median household income of $63,900 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Wilmington 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 Data Science Programs

Other Programs Available in Wilmington

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

Data verified: September 5, 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.

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