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Best Economics Schools Near Gastonia, NC (2026)
Gastonia, North Carolina has 29 accredited schools offering economics programs, with tuition ranging from $7,239 to $64,410 per year for indexed programs. Gastonia has a population of about 81,632. Median household income is $60,554 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 27.7% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC metro area, the top-earning economics-related role is Statistician at a median $126,350 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Closest Economics Schools to Gastonia
The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer economics programs near Gastonia, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Gastonia city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS data on every site update.
No school data available.
Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all North Carolina schools on the North Carolina economics page.
Economics 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.
| Occupation | Median Wage | Source | COL-Adjusted (US=100) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Economist | $117,600 | Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $120,863 |
| Financial and Investment Analyst | $106,510 | Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $109,466 |
| Statistician | $126,350 | Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $129,856 |
| Management Analyst | $102,920 | Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $105,776 |
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.
Gastonia at a Glance
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 81,632 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003) |
| Median household income | $60,554 | Census 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 |
Other Gastonia-Area Cities With Economics Programs
- Lincolnton, NC – 15.8 mi away (23,264 pop)
- Charlotte, NC – 20.2 mi away (1,438,351 pop)
- Shelby, NC – 20.3 mi away (27,288 pop)
- Huntersville, NC – 20.6 mi away (54,839 pop)
- Cornelius, NC – 23.0 mi away (28,515 pop)
Frequently Asked Questions
How many accredited economics schools are near Gastonia, NC?
Our directory has 29 accredited schools offering economics programs near Gastonia. The closest is Belmont Abbey College in Belmont, NC (8.2 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Wofford College (46.8 miles). 8 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.
What are the highest-paying economics roles near Gastonia?
Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying economics-related roles near Gastonia are: Statistician ($126,350), Economist ($117,600), Financial and Investment Analyst ($106,510). 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 economics 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 economics?
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.
Learn More About Economics Programs
- Is an Economics degree worth it?
- Main Economics degree guide
- Online Economics programs in North Carolina
- Economics programs by state
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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.