Best Economics Schools Near Sanford, NC (2026)

Updated August 31, 2026 BLS data College Scorecard On this page

Sanford, North Carolina has 5 accredited schools offering economics programs. Sanford has a population of about 30,833. Median household income is $54,294 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 22.4% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In North Carolina, the top-earning economics-related role is Economist at a median $136,150 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Economics Schools to Sanford

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer economics programs near Sanford, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Sanford 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 Sanford. 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

Campbell University

Buies Creek, NC 25.2 miles from Sanford
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
46.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 51%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $54,886
Avg net price $24,516/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 75%
  • Programs offered: 84

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill, NC 30.5 miles from Sanford
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
91.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 91%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $72,200
Avg net price $11,655/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 97%
  • Programs offered: 117

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Meredith College

Raleigh, NC 35.1 miles from Sanford
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
59.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 69%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $51,539
Avg net price $22,488/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 80%
  • Programs offered: 53

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

North Carolina State University at Raleigh

Raleigh, NC 35.1 miles from Sanford
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
84.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 85%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $68,758
Avg net price $17,303/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 94%
  • Programs offered: 152

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

Duke University

Durham, NC 38.3 miles from Sanford
  • 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

#6

Elon University

Elon, NC 46.7 miles from Sanford
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
72.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 83%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $74,545
Avg net price $41,555/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 90%
  • Programs offered: 71

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

North Carolina A & T State University

Greensboro, NC 52.7 miles from Sanford
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
55.8 BOC Score
Graduation rate 57%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $44,440
Avg net price $10,846/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 79%
  • Programs offered: 75

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Greensboro College

Greensboro, NC 53.6 miles from Sanford
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
38.3 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 70%
Graduation rate 43%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $46,566
Avg net price $17,882/yr
Tuition
In‑state$21,000
Out‑of‑state$21,000
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 64%
  • Programs offered: 25

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 economics page.

Economics Wages Near Sanford

OccupationMedian Annual Wage (North Carolina, statewide)
Economist$136,150
Financial and Investment Analyst$102,390
Statistician$115,690
Management Analyst$98,560

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.

Sanford at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population30,833Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$54,294Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+22.4%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)

Other Sanford-Area Cities With Economics Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited economics schools are near Sanford, NC?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering economics programs near Sanford. The closest is Campbell University in Buies Creek, NC (25.2 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Duke University (38.3 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying economics roles in North Carolina?

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying economics-related roles in North Carolina are: Economist ($136,150), Statistician ($115,690), Financial and Investment Analyst ($102,390). Wages for Sanford workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Holly Springs instead of Sanford?

Holly Springs, NC is 22.4 miles from Sanford 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 Sanford an affordable place to study economics?

Sanford’s median household income of $54,294 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Sanford 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

Other Programs Available in Sanford

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

Data verified: August 31, 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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