University of North Carolina Wilmington campus

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UNCW Salaries

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  • Wilmington, NC
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Salaries by Major

Salaries by Major at University of North Carolina Wilmington

This page shows median first-year earnings for UNCW graduates by major, based on federal College Scorecard data. Six years after enrolling, former students who are working and no longer in school report average earnings of $34,600 per year; after ten years, average earnings are $44,700. See post-graduation earnings for full trends over time.

Below, majors are ranked by median first-year earnings.

The highest-paying undergraduate degree is Computer Science, with median first-year earnings of $61,300 , followed by Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing at $57,800 , and Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences, Other at $48,000 .

Among graduate and professional degree programs, the highest-paying program is Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degree), with median first-year earnings of $90,500 , followed by Educational Administration and Supervision (Doctoral Degree) at $70,500 , and Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degree) at $67,200 .

First-year earnings data come from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and reflect IRS-reported income for University of North Carolina Wilmington graduates who received federal grants or loans. Some programs are omitted for privacy.

Median first-year earnings for University of North Carolina Wilmington graduates ranked by degree type and major
Major Earnings
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degree) $90,500
Educational Administration and Supervision (Doctoral Degree) $70,500
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degree) $67,200
Computer Science (Bachelor’s Degree) $61,300
Fine and Studio Arts (Master's Degree) $59,500
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor’s Degree) $57,800
Chemistry (Master's Degree) $53,200
Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences, Other (Bachelor’s Degree) $48,000
Social Work (Master's Degree) $42,300
Education (Master's Degree) $42,200
Public Administration (Master's Degree) $41,800
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor’s Degree) $40,200
Psychology (Master's Degree) $39,600
Business/Managerial Economics (Bachelor’s Degree) $38,200
Special Education and Teaching (Bachelor’s Degree) $37,800
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Master's Degree) $37,200
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Bachelor’s Degree) $36,800
Chemistry (Bachelor’s Degree) $36,000
Mathematics (Bachelor’s Degree) $35,900
Public Health (Bachelor’s Degree) $32,100
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions (Bachelor’s Degree) $31,800
International/Global Studies (Bachelor’s Degree) $31,200
Criminology (Bachelor’s Degree) $30,600
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics (Bachelor’s Degree) $30,500
Communication and Media Studies (Bachelor’s Degree) $30,400
Political Science and Government (Bachelor’s Degree) $29,900
Social Work (Bachelor’s Degree) $29,500
English Language and Literature (Bachelor’s Degree) $26,800
Parks, Recreation and Leisure Facilities Management (Bachelor’s Degree) $26,800
Biology (Bachelor’s Degree) $25,600
Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences (Bachelor’s Degree) $25,500
History (Bachelor’s Degree) $25,300
Psychology (Bachelor’s Degree) $25,200
Sociology (Bachelor’s Degree) $25,000
Natural Resources Conservation and Research (Bachelor’s Degree) $24,400
Physiology, Pathology and Related Sciences (Bachelor’s Degree) $24,100
Film/Video and Photographic Arts (Bachelor’s Degree) $23,500
Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology (Bachelor’s Degree) $22,800
Philosophy and Religious Studies, Other (Bachelor’s Degree) $21,400
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies (Master's Degree) $20,800
Fine and Studio Arts (Bachelor’s Degree) $20,300
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft (Bachelor’s Degree) $19,400
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies (Bachelor’s Degree) $19,400
Anthropology (Bachelor’s Degree) $19,300

Other Colleges to Consider

Students considering University of North Carolina Wilmington often consider these colleges

Data source: NCES / IPEDS https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?id=199218.

First-year earnings by major: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.

Last updated: August 2026