Best Photography Schools Near Fayetteville, NC (2026)

Fayetteville, North Carolina has 2 accredited schools offering photography programs. Fayetteville has a population of about 209,692. Median household income is $56,395 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 28.6% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Fayetteville, NC metro area, the top-earning photography-related role is Graphic Designer at a median $49,160 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).


Closest Photography Schools to Fayetteville

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

University of Mount Olive

Mount Olive, NC 51.9 miles from Fayetteville
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
48.8 BOC Score
Graduation rate 57%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $47,139
Avg net price $18,853/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 74%
  • Programs offered: 6

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Appalachian State University

Boone, NC 170.4 miles from Fayetteville
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
69.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 75%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $51,836
Avg net price $16,836/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 84%
  • Programs offered: 20

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Mars Hill University

Mars Hill, NC 207.5 miles from Fayetteville
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
34.8 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 68%
Graduation rate 43%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $44,781
Avg net price $19,910/yr
Tuition
In‑state$37,736
Out‑of‑state$37,736
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 66%
  • Programs offered: 7

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 photography page.


Photography Wages Near Fayetteville

Fayetteville is part of the Fayetteville, NC metro area (BLS area code 22180). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to North Carolina statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Photographer$34,560Fayetteville, NC$37,565
Graphic Designer$49,160Fayetteville, NC$53,435

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.


Fayetteville at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population209,692Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$56,395Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+28.6%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)92.0 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other Fayetteville-Area Cities With Photography Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited photography schools are near Fayetteville, NC?

Our directory has 2 accredited schools offering photography programs near Fayetteville. The closest is University of Mount Olive in Mount Olive, NC (51.9 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Coker University (78.8 miles). 2 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying photography roles near Fayetteville?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying photography-related roles near Fayetteville are: Graphic Designer ($49,160), Photographer ($34,560). 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 Pinehurst instead of Fayetteville?

Pinehurst, NC is 28.7 miles from Fayetteville and has its own set of local photography programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Fayetteville an affordable place to study photography?

Fayetteville’s median household income of $56,395 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Fayetteville 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 Photography Programs

Other Programs Available in Fayetteville

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

Data verified: August 25, 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.