Appalachian State University

Boone, North Carolina · Public

Of 82 assessed programs, 79 leave graduates out-earning a typical North Carolina high-school graduate (about $34,059/yr) and 3 fall short. Another 70 could not be assessed.

What would this cost you?

My family earns and I expect to take

Family income	Net price per year
Under $30k	$9,325
$30k to $48k	$11,600
$48k to $75k	$15,204
$75k to $110k	$20,840
$110k and up	$22,382
All families (average)	$16,836

Net price is the yearly cost after grants and scholarships, by family income (College Scorecard). It reflects students who received federal aid.

Program earnings vs a high-school graduate

Earnings are measured four years after completion when available. Where four-year earnings are suppressed, one-year earnings are shown and marked 1-year earnings. One-year and four-year figures reflect different career stages and should not be compared as if measured at the same time.

82 of 152 programs could be assessed 54% have an earnings verdict

Programs by earnings versus a typical North Carolina high-school graduate.
Program	Degree	Median earnings	vs a high-school grad	Verdict	Median debt	Years to repay	Recent completers
Psychology	Bachelor's Degree	$47,720	+$13,661	clears the bar	$20,294	1.5 yrs	309
Kinesiology and Physical Education	Bachelor's Degree	$55,594	+$21,535	clears the bar	$20,354	0.9 yrs	274
Business Administration	Bachelor's Degree	$64,932	+$30,873	clears the bar	$18,750	0.6 yrs	250
Teacher Education (by level)	Bachelor's Degree	$46,057	+$11,998	clears the bar	$20,500	1.7 yrs	229
Marketing	Bachelor's Degree	$69,439	+$35,380	clears the bar	$18,864	0.5 yrs	190
Public Relations and Advertising	Bachelor's Degree	$55,671	+$21,612	clears the bar	$18,836	0.9 yrs	158
Biology	Bachelor's Degree	$53,228	+$19,169	clears the bar	$20,500	1.1 yrs	156
Teacher Education (by subject)	Bachelor's Degree	$48,255	+$14,196	clears the bar	$21,729	1.5 yrs	145
Criminal Justice	Bachelor's Degree	$55,474	+$21,415	clears the bar	$18,066	0.8 yrs	145
Design	Bachelor's Degree	$53,543	+$19,484	clears the bar	$21,435	1.1 yrs	128
Nursing	Bachelor's Degree	$78,943	+$44,884	clears the bar	$12,500	0.3 yrs	123
Natural Resources and Conservation	Bachelor's Degree	$46,207	+$12,148	clears the bar	$20,500	1.7 yrs	119
Social Work	Bachelor's Degree	$51,012	+$16,953	clears the bar	$20,750	1.2 yrs	112
Political Science	Bachelor's Degree	$54,344	+$20,285	clears the bar	$19,229	0.9 yrs	111
Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Facilities Management	Bachelor's Degree	$41,052	+$6,993	clears the bar	$19,500	2.8 yrs	107
Construction Management	Bachelor's Degree	$80,257	+$46,198	clears the bar	$18,750	0.4 yrs	103
Finance	Bachelor's Degree	$75,396	+$41,337	clears the bar	$20,500	0.5 yrs	88
Management Information Systems	Bachelor's Degree	$87,041	+$52,982	clears the bar	$20,667	0.4 yrs	88
Communications and Media	Bachelor's Degree	$55,307	+$21,248	clears the bar	$19,500	0.9 yrs	83
Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology	Bachelor's Degree	$53,125	+$19,066	clears the bar	$17,750	0.9 yrs	83
Public Health	Bachelor's Degree	$49,039	+$14,980	clears the bar	$19,000	1.3 yrs	80
Radio, TV and Digital Media	Bachelor's Degree	$55,235	+$21,176	clears the bar	$21,500	1.0 yrs	79
Accounting	Bachelor's Degree	$85,580	+$51,521	clears the bar	$19,590	0.4 yrs	73
Computer Science	Bachelor's Degree	$97,670	+$63,611	clears the bar	$22,500	0.4 yrs	67
Healthcare Administration	Bachelor's Degree	$66,227	+$32,168	clears the bar	$21,500	0.7 yrs	65
English	Bachelor's Degree	$45,954	+$11,895	clears the bar	$20,499	1.7 yrs	64
Educational Administration	Master's Degree	$62,704	+$28,645	clears the bar	$19,580	0.7 yrs	59
Business Administration	Master's Degree	$94,138	+$60,079	clears the bar	$27,533	0.5 yrs	59
Environmental Control Technologies/Technicians	Bachelor's Degree	$69,956	+$35,897	clears the bar	$22,156	0.6 yrs	56
Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition Services	Bachelor's Degree	$50,403	+$16,344	clears the bar	$22,995	1.4 yrs	52
Social Work	Master's Degree	$54,939	+$20,880	clears the bar	$19,513	0.9 yrs	51
Fine Arts	Bachelor's Degree	$41,002	+$6,943	clears the bar	$22,267	3.2 yrs	51
Chemistry	Bachelor's Degree	$58,329	+$24,270	clears the bar	$23,894	1.0 yrs	49
Human Development and Family Studies	Bachelor's Degree	$40,461	+$6,402	clears the bar	$19,641	3.1 yrs	48
School Counseling	Master's Degree	$55,225	+$21,166	clears the bar	$27,879	1.3 yrs	47
Library Science and Administration	Master's Degree	$59,631	+$25,572	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	45
Mathematics	Bachelor's Degree	$62,271	+$28,212	clears the bar	$16,500	0.6 yrs	45
Anthropology	Bachelor's Degree	$42,107	+$8,048	clears the bar	$21,531	2.7 yrs	45
Special Education	Graduate/Professional Certificate	$47,528	+$13,469	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	44
Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition Services	Master's Degree	$65,206	+$31,147	clears the bar	$33,459	1.1 yrs	43
Insurance	Bachelor's Degree	$82,306	+$48,247	clears the bar	$17,875	0.4 yrs	40
Economics	Bachelor's Degree	$67,285	+$33,226	clears the bar	$20,500	0.6 yrs	37
History	Bachelor's Degree	$40,371	+$6,312	clears the bar	$20,000	3.2 yrs	37
Teacher Education (by subject)	Master's Degree	$50,822	+$16,763	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	36
Accounting	Master's Degree	$93,013	+$58,954	clears the bar	$17,978	0.3 yrs	34
Journalism	Bachelor's Degree	$48,243	+$14,184	clears the bar	$20,222	1.4 yrs	33
Geography and Cartography	Bachelor's Degree	$58,289	+$24,230	clears the bar	$18,125	0.7 yrs	31
Special Education	Bachelor's Degree	$50,264	+$16,205	clears the bar	$24,096	1.5 yrs	30
Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services	Bachelor's Degree	$55,778	+$21,719	clears the bar	$20,625	0.9 yrs	29
Sociology	Bachelor's Degree	$47,180	+$13,121	clears the bar	$19,120	1.5 yrs	29
Counseling Psychology	Master's Degree	$72,547	+$38,488	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	28
Geology and Earth Science	Bachelor's Degree	$53,269	+$19,210	clears the bar	$22,291	1.2 yrs	27
Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology	Master's Degree	$63,464	+$29,405	clears the bar	$39,727	1.4 yrs	27
Apparel and Textiles	Bachelor's Degree	$58,516	+$24,457	clears the bar	$22,700	0.9 yrs	26
Public Administration	Master's Degree	$62,027	+$27,968	clears the bar	$23,172	0.8 yrs	26
Theatre	Bachelor's Degree	$44,986	+$10,927	clears the bar	$23,750	2.2 yrs	25
Educational/Instructional Media Design	Master's Degree	$58,140	+$24,081	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	24
Kinesiology and Physical Education	Master's Degree	$53,371	+$19,312	clears the bar	$30,738	1.6 yrs	24
Physics	Bachelor's Degree	$82,399	+$48,340	clears the bar	$22,096	0.5 yrs	22
Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management	Bachelor's Degree	$44,297	+$10,238	clears the bar	$23,487	2.3 yrs	21
School Counseling	Graduate/Professional Certificate	$53,406	+$19,347	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	20
Computer Software and Media Applications	Master's Degree	$107,500	+$73,441	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	18
Healthcare Administration	Master's Degree	$87,377	+$53,318	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	18
Hospitality Management	Bachelor's Degree	$48,546	+$14,487	clears the bar	$21,945	1.5 yrs	18
Food Science and Technology	Bachelor's Degree	$53,369	+$19,310	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	17
Physics	Master's Degree	$111,173	+$77,114	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	17
Management Science	Bachelor's Degree	$83,033	+$48,974	clears the bar	$22,811	0.5 yrs	17
Liberal Arts and General Studies	Bachelor's Degree	$21,143 1-year earnings	-$12,916	falls short	$19,000	insufficient data	16
Curriculum and Instruction	Master's Degree	$57,340	+$23,281	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	15
International/Globalization Studies	Bachelor's Degree	$23,073 1-year earnings	-$10,986	falls short	$19,500	insufficient data	15
Music	Bachelor's Degree	$23,304 1-year earnings	-$10,755	falls short	$26,000	insufficient data	14
Mental Health and Counseling Services	Master's Degree	$57,614	+$23,555	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	14
Biology	Master's Degree	$62,942	+$28,883	clears the bar	$24,336	0.8 yrs	13
Educational Administration	Doctoral Degree	$91,173	+$57,114	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	12
Computer Software and Media Applications	Graduate/Professional Certificate	$104,433	+$70,374	clears the bar	$24,814	0.4 yrs	11
Mental Health and Counseling Services	Graduate/Professional Certificate	$52,086	+$18,027	clears the bar	$36,695	2.0 yrs	9
International Business	Bachelor's Degree	$72,852	+$38,793	clears the bar	$26,691	0.7 yrs	9
Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians	Master's Degree	$96,218	+$62,159	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	8
Educational Administration	First Professional Degree	$69,830	+$35,771	clears the bar	$27,350	0.8 yrs	insufficient data
Energy Systems Technologies/Technicians	Bachelor's Degree	$76,914	+$42,855	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data
Geography and Cartography	Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma	$50,551	+$16,492	clears the bar	$17,558	1.1 yrs	insufficient data
Allied Health Diagnostics and Treatment	Bachelor's Degree	$52,440	+$18,381	clears the bar	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data
Educational Administration	Graduate/Professional Certificate	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	99
Teacher Education (by level)	Graduate/Professional Certificate	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	32
Special Education	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	28
Bilingual, Multilingual, and Multicultural Education	Graduate/Professional Certificate	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	17
Educational/Instructional Media Design	Graduate/Professional Certificate	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	17
Teacher Education (by subject)	Graduate/Professional Certificate	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	15
Physical and Occupational Therapy	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	15
Religion/Religious Studies	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	14
Computer Science	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	13
Mathematics	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	13
Philosophy	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	13
History	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	12
Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition Services	Graduate/Professional Certificate	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	11
Counseling Psychology	Graduate/Professional Certificate	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	10
Physical and Occupational Therapy	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	10
Geography and Cartography	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	9
Political Science	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	9
Dance	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	9
Graphic Communications	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	7
Area Studies	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	6
Psychology	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	6
Music	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	6
City/Urban, Community, and Regional Planning	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	5
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	5
Nursing	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	5
Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	4
English	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	4
Gerontology	Graduate/Professional Certificate	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	4
Geography and Cartography	Graduate/Professional Certificate	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	4
Music	Graduate/Professional Certificate	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	4
Interdisciplinary Studies	Graduate/Professional Certificate	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	2
Public Administration	Graduate/Professional Certificate	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	2
Sociology	Graduate/Professional Certificate	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	2
Allied Health Diagnostics and Treatment	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	2
Area Studies	Graduate/Professional Certificate	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	1
English	Graduate/Professional Certificate	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	1
Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	1
Nursing	Graduate/Professional Certificate	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	1
Veterinary/Animal Health Technologies/Technicians	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies	Graduate/Professional Certificate	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Communications and Media	Graduate/Professional Certificate	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Teacher Education (by level)	Master's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics	Graduate/Professional Certificate	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Kinesiology and Physical Education	Graduate/Professional Certificate	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Psychology	First Professional Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Criminal Justice	Graduate/Professional Certificate	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Film and Photography	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Business/Managerial Economics	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Finance	Graduate/Professional Certificate	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Human Resources	Graduate/Professional Certificate	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Management Information Systems	Graduate/Professional Certificate	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	0
Architectural Sciences and Technology	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data
Area Studies	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data
Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies	Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data
Computer Science	Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data
IT Administration and Management	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data
Teacher Education (by subject)	Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data
Energy Systems Technologies/Technicians	Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data
Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data
Liberal Arts and General Studies	Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data
Statistics	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data
Statistics	Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data
Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, General	Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data
International/Globalization Studies	Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data
Counseling Psychology	First Professional Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data
Security Science and Technology	Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data
Mental Health and Counseling Services	Bachelor's Degree	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data
Business Administration	Graduate/Professional Certificate	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data	insufficient data

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, release 2026-06-10. Earnings are medians measured four years after completion where available (programs shown with a 1-year figure are marked), compared with the state high-school-graduate benchmark ($34,059/yr). Debt is federal loans only. Suppressed values are shown as insufficient data, never imputed. Figures describe past graduates and are never a promise.