Human Resources Degree in Wilmington, NC — Salary & ROI 2026
Human Resources degree analysis for Wilmington, NC. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$48K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$74K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
4.8 yrs
in Wilmington
Cost of Living
95
index (100 = avg)
Human Resources in Wilmington, NC Overview
While Wilmington has a smaller college scene with 5 institutions, Human Resources students benefit from lower tuition costs. Room and board averages $9,779/year, and the car-friendly layout shapes the student experience. Human Resources enrollment is stable nationwide, with steady demand for graduates skilled in Recruiting and Employee Relations. The adjusted starting salary in Wilmington is approximately $47,500, growing to $74,100 by mid-career.
Category
Business
Local Colleges
5
Public Tuition
$7,287/yr
Private Tuition
$34,393/yr
Room & Board
$9,779/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$13,831/yr
Unemployment
6.8%
Graduation Rate
48%
Human Resources Salary in Wilmington (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Wilmington's cost of living index of 95 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Human Resources salary: $50,000 starting, $78,000 mid-career, $100,000 senior level.Wilmington adjustment factor: 0.95x based on the local cost of living index.
Human Resources ROI Calculator for Wilmington
Estimate your return on investment for a Human Resources degree using local Wilmington tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $7,287 | Private avg: $34,393
Wilmington avg aid: $13,831/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$68,264
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$14,250
vs HS diploma in Wilmington
ROI Payback Period
4.8 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Wilmington
$406,736
Lifetime earnings premium ($475,000) minus total education cost ($68,264)
Student Loan Payoff for Human Resources in Wilmington
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Wilmington for Human Resources
University of North Carolina Wilmington
public
$7,287/yr
$29,148 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Cape Fear Community College
$2,864/yr
Top Employers for Human Resources in Wilmington
Wilmington offers opportunities in Financial services, Consulting firms, Fortune 500 companies for Human Resources graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Wilmington Hiring Sectors for Business
Financial services
Consulting firms
Fortune 500 companies
Startups
Marketing agencies
Common Human Resources Job Titles
Human Resources in Nearby North Carolina Cities
Charlotte, NC
$45K starting · COL 89
39 colleges
Raleigh, NC
$42K starting · COL 83
21 colleges
Greensboro, NC
$46K starting · COL 91
17 colleges
Durham, NC
$55K starting · COL 109
25 colleges
Winston-Salem, NC
$53K starting · COL 106
26 colleges
Fayetteville, NC
$45K starting · COL 90
15 colleges
Cary, NC
$54K starting · COL 108.5
7 colleges
High Point, NC
$42K starting · COL 84.5
5 colleges
Other Business Majors in Wilmington
Business Analytics
$74K starting · 2 yr ROI
Finance
$67K starting · 3.5 yr ROI
Economics
$62K starting · 4 yr ROI
Information Systems
$48K starting · 3.3 yr ROI
Supply Chain Management
$48K starting · 3.5 yr ROI
Operations Management
$48K starting · 3.8 yr ROI
Accounting
$59K starting · 3.8 yr ROI
Real Estate
$48K starting · 4 yr ROI
Human Resources Degree in Wilmington — FAQ
Data Sources: Salary data from BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook. Cost of living from BLS Regional Data. College data from NCES/IPEDS. Updated March 2026.
Explore More
Compare Human Resources ROI in other cities, or explore other majors in Wilmington.