Best Associate's in Elementary Education Programs in North Carolina
All 3 Elementary Education associate's-level programs in North Carolina, ranked overall on graduation rate, affordability, and more, from the IPEDS database.
An associate's in elementary education is a two-year transfer degree and the first step toward a bachelor's and an eventual North Carolina teaching license, and North Carolina has 3 accredited elementary education associate's programs to compare. This ranking scores every one on the outcomes that actually affect your return: graduation rate, in-state affordability, and selectivity, all pulled from the public federal IPEDS database. Isothermal Community College ranks first with a score of 73, on a 55 percent graduation rate.
Teaching assistants in North Carolina earn a median of $29,790 a year according to BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, against a national median of $36,780. Each section below covers a specific decision point, cost and real ROI, North Carolina licensure, accreditation, online and accelerated formats, and career outlook, so you can compare elementary education programs in North Carolina on the factors that change your outcome rather than on marketing.
- 1
Isothermal Community College
73score- 55%Grad rate
- $1,824/yrIn-state tuition
- $6,432/yrOut-of-state tuition
- 1,918Undergrads
- 2Grads/yr
- Associate in Arts in Teacher Preparation
- On-campus
About the programIsothermal Community College's Associate in Arts in Teacher Preparation is a transfer degree that covers the first two years of study toward a bachelor's in education. Completed on campus, it is structured so that North Carolina community college graduates can transfer with junior standing to UNC-system institutions and other participating colleges under the Comprehensive Articulation Agreement. The degree is a stepping stone toward eventual teaching licensure at a four-year university rather than a teaching license itself. It carries the lowest in-state tuition among North Carolina's 3 ranked associate's-level programs, at $1,824. Graduates of this elementary education program at the associate level often go on to work as teaching assistants.
Why it ranks hereProgram pageWe rank on the things that actually shape a teaching degree: whether students finish, how hard it is to get in, and the price of admission. On completion, the heaviest factor, it lands mid-pack among North Carolina programs at 55%, solid without being a standout. Cost only helps its case: at $1,824 in state, tuition runs below the North Carolina median, so students are not paying a premium for those results. That combination is what puts it in the top handful here.
- 2
Sampson Community College
55score- 56%Grad rate
- $2,736/yrIn-state tuition
- $9,648/yrOut-of-state tuition
- 1,526Undergrads
- 1Grads/yr
- Associate in Arts in Teacher Preparation
- On-campus
About the programSampson Community College's Associate in Arts in Teacher Preparation is a college transfer curriculum designed for students who intend to finish a teaching degree elsewhere. Housed in the Division of Education, Business, and Human Services Technologies and taught on campus, it works as a bridge rather than a licensure credential, and it confers no teaching license on its own. What it does offer is a clear runway forward, since graduates transfer with junior standing to UNC-system universities and participating North Carolina independent institutions under the state's articulation agreements. Along the way, students gain early field experiences in real schools and prepare for the entry-level teacher licensure exam, so they arrive at a four-year program with classroom exposure already behind them. It suits future teachers who want an affordable, transfer-ready first two years. Among North Carolina's 3 ranked associate's-level programs, this one posts the highest graduation rate at 56%. A associate-level path in elementary education, it builds toward a career among teaching assistants in North Carolina.
Why it ranks hereProgram pageIts place on the list comes down to outcomes, selectivity, and price, weighted in that order. Start with the outcome that matters most, 56% of students graduate, top 1% among North Carolina programs, which is the biggest reason it sits where it does. The one drag is price, $2,736 in state, above the North Carolina median, so it earns its rank on outcomes rather than affordability. That combination is what puts it in the top handful here.
- 3
James Sprunt Community College
23score- 48%Grad rate
- $2,432/yrIn-state tuition
- $8,576/yrOut-of-state tuition
- 1,519Undergrads
- 4Grads/yr
- Teacher Preparation (College Transfer Pathway)
About the programJames Sprunt Community College offers a Teacher Preparation program as a college transfer pathway, available as either an Associate in Arts or an Associate in Science. Its coursework is structured to transfer with junior standing to UNC-system schools and participating private colleges, making it a two-year step toward a bachelor's degree and eventual teaching licensure rather than a standalone credential. Eligible high school students can enroll tuition-free through the Career and College Promise pathway. It awards more associate's-level elementary education degrees than any of North Carolina's 3 ranked associate's-level programs, 4 in the most recent year. As an associate degree in elementary education, it is one of the programs that lead to careers as teaching assistants in North Carolina.
Why it ranks hereProgram pageThe ranking rewards programs that graduate their students, stay at least somewhat selective, and keep tuition reasonable, so here is how this one measures up. The sticking point is completion, the factor we weigh most heavily: at 48% the graduation rate trails the North Carolina median, which caps how high it can climb. Tuition is middle of the road for North Carolina programs at $2,432 in state, so cost neither helps nor hurts its standing. Strong on the measures that matter most, it earns a place near the top.
Key facts about a associate's in Elementary Education in North Carolina
- North Carolina has 3 accredited associate's in elementary education programs in our 2026 ranking, all drawn from federal IPEDS data.
- Isothermal Community College ranks first among elementary education associate's programs in North Carolina with a score of 73, on a 55 percent graduation rate.
- Isothermal Community College is the most affordable associate's in elementary education in North Carolina, at $1,824 a year in-state tuition.
- Sampson Community College posts the highest graduation rate among elementary education programs in North Carolina, at 56 percent.
- Teaching assistants in North Carolina earn a median of $29,790 a year (BLS), ranking North Carolina 41 of 51 states and territories for the occupation.
- North Carolina requires the Praxis licensure exam, administered through North Carolina Department of Public Instruction, Licensure Office, to earn a teaching license.
What a associate's in elementary education costs in North Carolina (2026)
Published in-state tuition for a associate's in elementary education in North Carolina runs from $1,824 to $2,736 a year across the 3 programs we rank, with a median of $2,432. The most affordable is Isothermal Community College at $1,824 a year. These are published sticker rates from IPEDS; most future teachers bring the net figure down with the Pell Grant, the federal TEACH Grant, and state teacher-preparation aid, so weigh net price, not the sticker.
Cost only means something next to completion. The elementary education programs ranked here average a 53 percent graduation rate, and a lower-priced program where fewer students finish is not necessarily the cheaper path to a degree. Compare tuition and graduation rate together above.
Sources: IPEDS tuition data
What teaching assistants earn in North Carolina
Teaching assistants in North Carolina earn a median of $29,790 a year, per BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), compared with a national median of $36,780. That ranks North Carolina 41 of 51 states and territories for teaching assistants pay. Nationally, pay for this occupation spans roughly $27,150 at the 10th percentile to $50,040 at the 90th, with a master's degree, years in the classroom, and the local district salary schedule driving the climb.
The BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook projects 1 percent decline in teaching assistants employment nationally from 2024 to 2034, with about 170,400 openings a year as teachers retire or change careers. A associate's in elementary education in North Carolina is the entry point to that market, not the ceiling.
How to get a North Carolina teaching license
An associate's in elementary education does not by itself qualify you for a North Carolina teaching license. It is a two-year foundation that transfers into a bachelor's, which, with a supervised student-teaching placement and Praxis (The Praxis Series), leads to the Initial Professional License issued by North Carolina Department of Public Instruction, Licensure Office. Associate's graduates also qualify for teaching-assistant and paraprofessional roles in North Carolina schools while they finish the bachelor's.
North Carolina uses ETS Praxis for most subjects and Pearson tests (Foundations of Reading and General Curriculum) for elementary and special education licensure. Confirm your program is currently state-approved before you enroll.
Choosing an accredited elementary education program in North Carolina
Pick a associate's in elementary education in North Carolina that is regionally accredited and whose educator-preparation program is approved by the North Carolina Department of Education, ideally with CAEP (Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation) accreditation. State approval is what lets the degree count toward a North Carolina teaching license, and CAEP is the national standard for program quality, so confirm both before enrolling in any elementary education program in North Carolina.
Sources: CAEP accreditation
Frequently asked questions about a associate's in Elementary Education in North Carolina
How many associate's in elementary education programs are in North Carolina?
There are 3 accredited associate's in elementary education programs in North Carolina in our 2026 ranking, all drawn from the federal IPEDS database.
What is the most affordable associate's in elementary education in North Carolina?
Isothermal Community College is the most affordable associate's in elementary education in North Carolina, at $1,824 a year in in-state tuition.
How much do teaching assistants make in North Carolina?
Teaching assistants in North Carolina earn a median of $29,790 a year, according to <a href="https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes259045.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow">BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics</a>, versus $36,780 nationally.
What exam do you need to teach in North Carolina?
North Carolina requires the Praxis (The Praxis Series) licensure exam, administered for North Carolina Department of Public Instruction, Licensure Office. See the <a href="https://praxis.ets.org/state-requirements/northcarolina-overview.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow">official exam page</a> for current test requirements.
Is a associate's in elementary education worth it in North Carolina?
For most future teachers, yes. A associate's in elementary education in North Carolina is the standard credential for a North Carolina teaching license, and it leads to a median teaching assistants salary of $29,790 a year in North Carolina. Compare graduation rate and net price above to find the best value in 2026.
These are the best associate's in elementary education programs in North Carolina for 2026, ranked on the outcomes that matter. Compare all 3 associate's in elementary education in North Carolina above by graduation rate, tuition, and selectivity, then open each program page to take the next step toward transferring into a bachelor's and a classroom career in North Carolina.