City/Urban, Community and Regional Planning at Appalachian State University

Nationally, urban and regional planning bachelor's programs produce first-year earnings around $44,000, and Appalachian State's program likely falls in this range—though we're working with estimates here since the graduate cohort is too small for the Department of Education to publish actual outcomes. The estimated $25,244 in debt sits right at the national median for these programs, creating a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.57 that suggests manageable repayment. That's roughly six months of pre-tax income, which should be workable on an entry-level planner's salary.

The challenge is that planning is a field where career trajectory matters enormously. Entry-level positions in local government or nonprofits start modestly, but advancement often requires either a master's degree or several years of experience. The national benchmark gives you a baseline, but it doesn't tell you whether Appalachian State's specific connections to regional planning offices or local government agencies in North Carolina's mountain communities lead to better or worse outcomes than typical programs.

With only two schools in North Carolina offering this degree and neither reporting usable data, you're making this decision somewhat blind. The debt load isn't alarming, but you'll want direct conversations with the program about where recent graduates actually landed jobs and whether they're staying in planning or pivoting to adjacent fields. Ask specifically about employment rates and starting positions—information the school should have even if federal data doesn't capture it.