Best Online Machine Learning Programs in Sanford, NC (2026)

Sanford, North Carolina has 5 accredited schools offering machine learning 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 machine learning-related role is Software Developer at a median $134,710 annually (BLS, May 2025).


Closest Machine Learning Schools to Sanford

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer machine learning 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.

#1

Campbell University

Buies Creek, NC 25.2 miles from Sanford BOC Score 46.6
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
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: 46

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Fayetteville State University

Fayetteville, NC 32.5 miles from Sanford 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

North Carolina State University at Raleigh

Raleigh, NC 35.7 miles from Sanford BOC Score 84.6
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
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: 59

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Shaw University

Raleigh, NC 36.3 miles from Sanford BOC Score 26.6
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 21%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $34,409
Avg net price $16,512/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 54%
  • Programs offered: 12

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

North Carolina A & T State University

Greensboro, NC 52.9 miles from Sanford BOC Score 55.8
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
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: 35

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

University of North Carolina at Greensboro

Greensboro, NC 53.7 miles from Sanford 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

#7

University of North Carolina at Pembroke

Pembroke, NC 54.6 miles from Sanford 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

#8

Strayer University-North Carolina

Greensboro, NC 55.8 miles from Sanford 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

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


Machine Learning Wages Near Sanford

OccupationMedian Annual Wage (North Carolina, statewide)
Computer and Information Research Scientist$128,370
Data Scientist$119,090
Software Developer$134,710
Statistician$115,690

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 Machine Learning Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited machine learning schools are near Sanford, NC?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering machine learning programs near Sanford. The closest is Campbell University in Buies Creek, NC (25.2 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is North Carolina State University at Raleigh (35.7 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying machine learning roles in North Carolina?

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying machine learning-related roles in North Carolina are: Software Developer ($134,710), Computer and Information Research Scientist ($128,370), Data Scientist ($119,090). 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 machine learning 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 machine learning?

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 Machine Learning Programs

Other Programs Available in Sanford

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

Data verified: August 10, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2024โ€“2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.