Lowering tuition is one of the most visible ways states can expand access to higher education. North Carolina’s NC Promise program does exactly that, reducing in-state tuition to roughly $500 per semester at participating institutions and expanding access, particularly for Pell-eligible and first-generation students.
Elizabeth State University is one of four NC Promise institutions, where in-state students pay $500 per semester in tuition.
This is particularly significant for institutions like Fayetteville State University and other NC Promise campuses that serve high proportions of Pell-eligible students and prepare graduates for workforce-critical fields tied to public service and regional economic stability.
At a moment when federal financial aid pathways face growing uncertainty, that commitment to affordability matters.
But affordability alone does not guarantee equity. In some cases, it can mask deeper institutional inequalities that shape student experience and outcomes.
As a graduate of Fayetteville State University, now one of the newest NC Promise institutions, and a higher education researcher focused on organizational capacity and student success, I see both the promise and the limits of this model. NC Promise reduces price barriers for students. What it does not do is equalize the institutional conditions that shape what those students experience once they enroll.
That distinction matters more than it may initially appear.
Price is Equalized. Capacity Is Not.
