Best Innovation Schools Near Rockingham, NC (2026)

Rockingham, North Carolina has 19 accredited schools offering innovation programs, with tuition ranging from $2,628 to $45,312 per year for indexed programs. Rockingham has a population of about 9,094. Median household income is $36,695 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 19.4% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In North Carolina, the top-earning innovation-related role is Computer and Information Systems Manager at a median $172,860 annually (BLS, May 2025).


Closest Innovation Schools to Rockingham

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

#1

University of North Carolina at Pembroke

Pembroke, NC 36.0 miles from Rockingham BOC Score 47.2
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 49%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $43,407
Avg net price $10,260/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 71%
  • Programs offered: 28

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Fayetteville State University

Fayetteville, NC 50.0 miles from Rockingham BOC Score 49.2
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 49%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $40,144
Avg net price $7,892/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 76%
  • Programs offered: 25

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Methodist University

Fayetteville, NC 51.8 miles from Rockingham BOC Score 31.7
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 38%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $48,050
Avg net price $24,704/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 65%
  • Programs offered: 30

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

University of North Carolina at Charlotte

Charlotte, NC 60.4 miles from Rockingham BOC Score 72.0
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
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: 53

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

Johnson & Wales University-Charlotte

Charlotte, NC 64.9 miles from Rockingham BOC Score 52.2
  • 4 year
Graduation rate 54%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $43,418
Avg net price $27,426/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 68%
  • Programs offered: 11

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

High Point University

High Point, NC 74.3 miles from Rockingham BOC Score 62.5
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Acceptance rate 75%
Graduation rate 72%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $61,389
Avg net price $38,707/yr
Tuition
In‑state$45,312
Out‑of‑state$45,312
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 85%
  • Programs offered: 36

Source:Accreditor: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on CollegesIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

Strayer University-North Carolina

Greensboro, NC 77.2 miles from Rockingham BOC Score 17.9
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 13%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $40,092
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 45%
  • Programs offered: 18

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

University of North Carolina at Greensboro

Greensboro, NC 77.9 miles from Rockingham BOC Score 59.3
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 59%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $48,160
Avg net price $10,965/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 77%
  • Programs offered: 43

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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


Innovation Wages Near Rockingham

OccupationMedian Annual Wage (North Carolina, statewide)
General and Operations Manager$101,950
Management Analyst$98,560
Marketing Manager$165,480
Computer and Information Systems Manager$172,860

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.


Rockingham at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population9,094Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$36,695Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+19.4%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)

Other Rockingham-Area Cities With Innovation Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited innovation schools are near Rockingham, NC?

Our directory has 19 accredited schools offering innovation programs near Rockingham. The closest is Coker University in Hartsville, SC (42.6 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Strayer University-North Carolina (77.2 miles). 8 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

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

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying innovation-related roles in North Carolina are: Computer and Information Systems Manager ($172,860), Marketing Manager ($165,480), General and Operations Manager ($101,950). Wages for Rockingham workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Laurinburg instead of Rockingham?

Laurinburg, NC is 20.2 miles from Rockingham and has its own set of local innovation programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Rockingham an affordable place to study innovation?

Rockingham’s median household income of $36,695 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Rockingham 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 Innovation Programs

Other Programs Available in Rockingham

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

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.