Forest City, North Carolina has 2 accredited schools offering education programs. Forest City has a population of about 7,368. Median household income is $35,897 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 17.2% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In North Carolina, the top-earning education-related role is Education Administrator, Postsecondary at a median $101,060 annually (BLS, May 2025).
Closest Education Schools to Forest City
The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer education programs near Forest City, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Forest City 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:
BOCSCORE
- 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 Forest City.
Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.
Acceptance rate
77%
Graduation rate
59%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$48,039
Avg net price
$17,674/yr
TuitionIn‑state$34,760
Out‑of‑state$34,760
Key stats- Retention rate: 62%
- Programs offered: 27
Source:Accreditor: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges · IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
37%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$45,151
Avg net price
$27,061/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats- Retention rate: 61%
- Programs offered: 20
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Acceptance rate
85%
Graduation rate
49%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$45,543
Avg net price
$20,689/yr
TuitionIn‑state$31,900
Out‑of‑state$31,900
Key stats- Retention rate: 73%
- Programs offered: 26
Source:Accreditor: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges · IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
46%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$47,937
Avg net price
$24,639/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats- Retention rate: 70%
- Programs offered: 12
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
37%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$43,545
Avg net price
$23,509/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats- Retention rate: 63%
- Programs offered: 9
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Acceptance rate
68%
Graduation rate
43%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$44,781
Avg net price
$19,910/yr
TuitionIn‑state$37,736
Out‑of‑state$37,736
Key stats- Retention rate: 66%
- Programs offered: 15
Source:Accreditor: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges · IPEDS · College Scorecard
Acceptance rate
77%
Graduation rate
43%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$43,415
Avg net price
$28,340/yr
TuitionIn‑state$33,250
Out‑of‑state$33,250
Key stats- Retention rate: 65%
- Programs offered: 13
Source:Accreditor: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges · IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
90%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$81,400
Avg net price
$17,379/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats- Retention rate: 95%
- Programs offered: 6
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all North Carolina schools on the North Carolina education page.
Education Wages Near Forest City
| Occupation | Median Annual Wage (North Carolina, statewide) |
|---|
| Secondary School Teacher | $57,650 |
| Elementary School Teacher | $54,930 |
| Middle School Teacher | $52,010 |
| Education Teacher, Postsecondary | $70,050 |
| Education Administrator, K-12 | $83,180 |
| Education Administrator, Postsecondary | $101,060 |
| Tutor | $42,390 |
| Educational and Career Counselor | $57,630 |
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.
Forest City at a Glance
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|
| Population | 7,368 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003) |
| Median household income | $35,897 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013) |
| Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ | 17.2% | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003) |
| Education-related employment in Rutherford County | 243 workers, 17 establishments | BLS QCEW 2024 annual |
Other Forest City-Area Cities With Education Programs
- Shelby, NC – 18.8 mi away (27,288 pop)
- Gaffney, SC – 21.6 mi away (21,692 pop)
- Spartanburg, SC – 27.1 mi away (185,031 pop)
- Greer, SC – 34.4 mi away (29,000 pop)
- Lincolnton, NC – 36.9 mi away (23,264 pop)
Frequently Asked Questions
How many accredited education schools are near Forest City, NC?
Accredited schools offering education programs near Forest City are listed on this page, ranked by BOC Score and distance from the city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS and College Scorecard data on every site update, so it stays current as programs open and close.
What are the highest-paying education roles in North Carolina?
Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying education-related roles in North Carolina are: Education Administrator, Postsecondary ($101,060), Education Administrator, K-12 ($83,180), Education Teacher, Postsecondary ($70,050). Wages for Forest City workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.
Should I look at programs in Shelby instead of Forest City?
Shelby, NC is 18.8 miles from Forest City and has its own set of local education programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.
Is Forest City an affordable place to study education?
Forest City’s median household income of $35,897 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Forest City 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 Education Programs
Other Programs Available in Forest City
Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Forest City:
- Criminal Justice programs in Forest City, NC
- Nursing programs in Forest City, NC
- Business Administration programs in Forest City, NC
- Computer Science programs in Forest City, NC
- Psychology programs in Forest City, NC
- Engineering programs in Forest City, NC
- Technology programs in Forest City, NC
- Liberal Arts programs in Forest City, NC
- Healthcare programs in Forest City, NC
- Cybersecurity programs in Forest City, NC
- Accounting programs in Forest City, NC
- Healthcare Administration programs in Forest City, NC
- Social Work programs in Forest City, NC
- Counseling programs in Forest City, NC
Data verified: July 23, 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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