Hickory, North Carolina has 5 accredited schools offering education programs, with tuition ranging from $31,900 to $44,621 per year for indexed programs. Hickory has a population of about 43,747. Median household income is $63,361 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 35.9% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC metro area, the top-earning education-related role is Education Administrator, Postsecondary at a median $84,050 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Closest Education Schools to Hickory
The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer education programs near Hickory, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Hickory 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 Hickory.
Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.
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: 57
Source:Accreditor: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges · IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
34%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$36,977
Avg net price
$10,528/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all North Carolina schools on the North Carolina education page.
Education Wages Near Hickory
Hickory is part of the Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC metro area (BLS area code 25860). 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) |
| Secondary School Teacher |
$57,790 |
Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC |
$65,299 |
| Elementary School Teacher |
$49,540 |
Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC |
$55,977 |
| Middle School Teacher |
$51,970 |
Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC |
$58,723 |
| Education Teacher, Postsecondary |
$70,050 |
NC statewide |
$79,153 |
| Education Administrator, K-12 |
$81,750 |
Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC |
$92,373 |
| Education Administrator, Postsecondary |
$84,050 |
Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC |
$94,972 |
| Tutor |
$39,900 |
Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC |
$45,085 |
| Educational and Career Counselor |
$55,870 |
Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC |
$63,130 |
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.
Hickory at a Glance
| Metric |
Value |
Source |
| Population |
43,747 |
Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003) |
| Median household income |
$63,361 |
Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013) |
| Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ |
35.9% |
Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003) |
| Regional Price Parity (US=100) |
88.5 (below U.S. average) |
BEA RPP 2024 |
| Education-related employment in Catawba County |
616 workers, 36 establishments |
BLS QCEW 2024 annual |
Other Hickory-Area Cities With Education Programs
- Lincolnton, NC – 19.1 mi away (23,264 pop)
- Statesville, NC – 25.5 mi away (26,506 pop)
- Mooresville, NC – 30.0 mi away (36,543 pop)
- Cornelius, NC – 30.9 mi away (28,515 pop)
- Shelby, NC – 33.7 mi away (27,288 pop)
Frequently Asked Questions
How many accredited education schools are near Hickory, NC?
Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering education programs near Hickory. The closest is Lenoir-Rhyne University in Hickory, NC (0.3 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Mitchell Community College (24.2 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.
What are the highest-paying education roles near Hickory?
Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying education-related roles near Hickory are: Education Administrator, Postsecondary ($84,050), Education Administrator, K-12 ($81,750), Education Teacher, Postsecondary ($70,050). 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 Hickory?
Lincolnton, NC is 19.1 miles from Hickory 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 Hickory an affordable place to study education?
Hickory’s median household income of $63,361 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Hickory 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 Hickory
Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Hickory:
- History programs in Hickory, NC
- English programs in Hickory, NC
- Sociology programs in Hickory, NC
- Anthropology programs in Hickory, NC
- Political Science programs in Hickory, NC
- Philosophy programs in Hickory, NC
- Mathematics programs in Hickory, NC
- General Studies programs in Hickory, NC
- Forensic Psychology programs in Hickory, NC
- Child Development programs in Hickory, NC
- Data Science programs in Hickory, NC
- Electrical Engineering programs in Hickory, NC
- Software Engineering programs in Hickory, NC
- Engineering Management programs in Hickory, NC
- Geography programs in Hickory, NC
- Aviation Management programs in Hickory, NC
- Public Policy programs in Hickory, NC
- International Relations programs in Hickory, NC
- Chemistry programs in Hickory, NC
- Physics programs in Hickory, NC
- Neuroscience programs in Hickory, NC
- Spanish programs in Hickory, NC
- Film programs in Hickory, NC
- Fashion programs in Hickory, NC
- Architecture programs in Hickory, NC
- Urban Planning programs in Hickory, NC
- Industrial Design programs in Hickory, NC
- Game Design programs in Hickory, NC
- Instructional Design programs in Hickory, NC
- Higher Education Administration programs in Hickory, NC
- Global Health programs in Hickory, NC
- Art History programs in Hickory, NC
- Creative Writing programs in Hickory, NC
- Environmental Science programs in Hickory, NC
- Nutrition programs in Hickory, NC
- Theology programs in Hickory, NC
- Library Science programs in Hickory, NC
- Applied Behavior Analysis programs in Hickory, NC
- Medical Billing and Coding programs in Hickory, NC
- Medical Assistant programs in Hickory, NC
- Pharmacy Technician programs in Hickory, NC
- Health Science programs in Hickory, NC
- Occupational Safety and Health programs in Hickory, NC
- Entrepreneurship programs in Hickory, NC
- Interior Design programs in Hickory, NC
- Photography programs in Hickory, NC
- Sustainability Management programs in Hickory, NC
- Behavioral Health Science programs in Hickory, NC
- Mental Health Counseling programs in Hickory, NC
- Substance Abuse Counseling programs in Hickory, NC
- Journalism programs in Hickory, NC
- Public Relations programs in Hickory, NC
- Communication Disorders programs in Hickory, NC
- Speech Pathology programs in Hickory, NC
- Technical Communication programs in Hickory, NC
- Professional Writing programs in Hickory, NC
- Strategic Communications programs in Hickory, NC
- Business Development programs in Hickory, NC
- Construction Management programs in Hickory, NC
- Economics programs in Hickory, NC
- Financial Technology programs in Hickory, NC
- Forensic Accounting programs in Hickory, NC
- Health Information Management programs in Hickory, NC
- Hospitality Management programs in Hickory, NC
- International Business programs in Hickory, NC
- Organizational Leadership programs in Hickory, NC
- Management Information Systems programs in Hickory, NC
- Nonprofit Management programs in Hickory, NC
- Operations Management programs in Hickory, NC
- Public Administration programs in Hickory, NC
- Real Estate programs in Hickory, NC
- Recreation Management programs in Hickory, NC
- Retail Management programs in Hickory, NC
- Risk Management programs in Hickory, NC
- Statistics programs in Hickory, NC
- Taxation programs in Hickory, NC
- Corrections programs in Hickory, NC
- Crime Analysis programs in Hickory, NC
- Criminal Justice Administration programs in Hickory, NC
- Criminology programs in Hickory, NC
- Cybercrime programs in Hickory, NC
- Emergency Management programs in Hickory, NC
- Fire Science programs in Hickory, NC
- Forensic Science programs in Hickory, NC
- Legal Services programs in Hickory, NC
- Legal Studies programs in Hickory, NC
- Paralegal programs in Hickory, NC
- Security Management programs in Hickory, NC
- Cloud Computing programs in Hickory, NC
- Computer Engineering programs in Hickory, NC
- Innovation programs in Hickory, NC
- Mobile App Development programs in Hickory, NC
- Software Development programs in Hickory, NC
- User Experience programs in Hickory, NC
- Web Development programs in Hickory, NC
- Artificial Intelligence programs in Hickory, NC
- Machine Learning programs in Hickory, NC
- Supply Chain Management programs in Hickory, NC
- Data Analytics programs in Hickory, NC
- Public Health programs in Hickory, NC
- Human Resources programs in Hickory, NC
- Project Management programs in Hickory, NC
- Special Education programs in Hickory, NC
- Homeland Security programs in Hickory, NC
- Marketing programs in Hickory, NC
- Finance programs in Hickory, NC
- Kinesiology programs in Hickory, NC
- Sports Management programs in Hickory, NC
- Early Childhood Education programs in Hickory, NC
- Elementary Education programs in Hickory, NC
- Biology programs in Hickory, NC
- Communications programs in Hickory, NC
- Graphic Design programs in Hickory, NC
- Human Services programs in Hickory, NC
- MBA programs in Hickory, NC
- Criminal Justice programs in Hickory, NC
- Nursing programs in Hickory, NC
- Business Administration programs in Hickory, NC
- Computer Science programs in Hickory, NC
- Psychology programs in Hickory, NC
- Engineering programs in Hickory, NC
- Technology programs in Hickory, NC
- Liberal Arts programs in Hickory, NC
- Healthcare programs in Hickory, NC
- Cybersecurity programs in Hickory, NC
- Accounting programs in Hickory, NC
- Healthcare Administration programs in Hickory, NC
- Social Work programs in Hickory, NC
- Counseling programs in Hickory, NC
Data verified: September 6, 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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