GED in North Carolina - Requirements, Classes, and Testing Centers

In North Carolina, students looking to earn their high school equivalency diplomas can take the four GED subtests or five HiSET subtests online or at an official North Carolina test center.

To take the exams, candidates must register and set up an account on GED.com or hiset.ets.org. This website offers free GED online classes and practice tests that are a great resource to get well-prepared for both the HiSET and GED exams.

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So North Carolina uses two options for high school equivalency testing: the GED and HiSET exams.

High school equivalency testing gives people who never finished high school the opportunity to acquire an equivalent credential.

The GED® exam is given exclusively on a computer, while the HiSET® is available both on paper and in a computer-based format.

The GED test includes four independent subtests covering these academic subject areas:

Math
Language Arts (reading and writing combined)
Science
Social Studies

The HiSET exam includes five subtests, as there are separate Language Writing and Language Reading subtests.

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All subtests may be taken separately. There’s no need to take the entire battery in one session.

When you pass the GED or HiSET exam, you will receive your High School Equivalency Diploma from the State of North Carolina.

This credential is nationwide accepted as equivalent to a high school diploma by government organizations, businesses, colleges, and universities.

GED Requirements in North Carolina

In North Carolina, the minimum age to qualify for GED or HiSET testing is 16.
For students ages 16 and 17, however, strict additional requirements count.
They must, for instance, have permission from their school districts and a parent or guardian. Please see a testing center near you for details.
Test-takers cannot already have a high school or equivalent diploma.
They can also not be enrolled in another education program.
There is no need for test-takers to be North Carolina residents.
There’s no North Carolina requirement to first pass the GED Ready® practice test or another practice test. This doesn’t count for online GED testing!
Test-takers are not required to attend a GED or HiSET prep course.

North Carolina’s Board of Community Colleges approved that the 58 North Carolina Community Colleges can also use the HiSET exam as an alternative to the GED test.

Please note that not all testing sites provide both exams, so get well-informed on which option(s) your nearest testing center offers (see also below).

GED Prep Classes in North Carolina

You can prepare for the GED test by studying online. You can also choose a traditional GED prep class near you. Click on your nearest city to see all the prep locations.

You can find numerous locations in the state where GED instruction will get you prepared to take the North Carolina HSE exam successfully.

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North Carolina GED Testing Centers

Ahoskie
Roanoke-Chowan Comm. Coll (GED) – 109 Community College Rd – Ahoskie – NC 27910 – Ph: (252) 862.1200
Albemarle
Stanly Comm. Coll. (GED or HiSET) – 141 College Dr – Albemarle – NC 28001 – Ph: (704) 991.0362/0345
Archdale
Randolph Comm. Coll. (HiSET) – 110 Park Dr – Archdale – NC 27263 – Ph: (336) 862.7980
Asheboro
Randolph Comm. Coll. (GED or HiSET) – 629 Industrial Park Ave – Asheboro – NC 27204 – Ph: (336) 633.0200/0321
Asheville
Asheville-Buncombe Tech (GED or HiSET) – 340 Victoria Rd – Asheville – NC 28801 – Ph: (828) 254.1921/398.7312
Bolivia
Brunswick Comm. Coll. (GED or HiSET) – 50 College Rd – Bolivia – NC 28422 – Ph: (910) 755.7300/7358
Boone
Caldwell Comm. Coll. (GED or HiSET) – 372 Comm College Dr – Boone – NC 28607 – Ph: (828) 297.2185
Brevard
Blue Ridge Comm. Coll. (GED or HiSET) – 45 Oak Park Dr – Brevard – NC 28712 – Ph: (828) 694.1914
Charlotte
Central Piedmont Comm. Coll. (GED) – 1141 Elizabeth Ave – Charlotte – NC 28235 – Ph: (704) 330.6886
Central Piedmont Comm. Coll. (HiSET) -1320 Sam Ryburn Walk – Charlotte – NC 28204 – Ph: (704) 330.2722
Clinton
Sampson Comm. Coll. (GED or HiSET) – 1801 Sunset Ave – Clinton – NC 28329 – Ph: (910) 900.4007/592.8081
Clyde
Haywood Comm. Coll. (GED or HiSET) – 185 Freedlander Dr – Clyde – NC 28721 – Ph: (828) 627.4618/4700
Concord
Rowan-Cabarrus Comm. Coll. (GED or HiSET) – 1531 Trinity Church Rd – Concord – NC 28027 – Ph: (704) 216.3468/3536
Creedmore
Vance-Granville Comm. Coll. (GED) – 1547 S Campus Dr – Creedmoor – NC 27522 – Ph: (252) 738.3510
Dallas
Gaston College (GED or HiSET) – 201 Hwy 321 S – Dallas – NC 28034 – Ph: (704) 922.6321/2433
Dobson
Surry Comm. Coll. (GED or HiSET) – 630 S Main St – Dobson – NC 27017 – Ph: (336) 386.8121/3674
Dublin
Bladen Comm. Coll. (GED or HiSET) – 7418 NC 41 W – Dublin – NC 28332 – Ph: (910) 879.5587
Durham
Durham Tech (GED or HiSET) – 1637 E Lawson St – Durham – NC 27703 – Ph: (919) 536.7218/7220
Elizabeth City
Coll. of the Albemarle (GED or HiSET) – 1208 N Road St – Elizabeth City – NC 27909 – Ph: (252) 335.0821
Fayetteville
Technical Comm. Coll. (GED or HiSET) – 2201 Hull Rd – Fayetteville – NC 28303 – Ph: (910) 678.0053
Flat Rock
Blue Ridge Comm. Coll. (GED or HiSET) – 130 Eagles Reach Dr – Flat Rock – NC 28731 – Ph: (828) 694.1649
Franklin
Southwestern Comm. Coll.-Macon Annex (HiSET) – 5 W Main St – Franklin – NC 28734 – Ph: (828) 339.4486
Goldsboro
Wayne Comm. Coll. (GED or HiSET) – 3000 Wayne Memorial Dr – Goldsboro – NC 27534 – Ph: (919) 735.5151/739.6917
Graham
Alamance Comm. Coll. (GED or HiSET) – 1247 Jimmie Kerr Rd – Graham – NC 27253 – Ph: (336) 506.4131/4376
Grantsboro
Pamlico Comm. Coll. (GED or HiSET) – 5049 Hwy 306 S – Grantsboro – NC 28529 – Ph: (252) 249.1851
Greensboro
Guilford Tech (GED or HiSET) – 3505 E Wendover Ave – Greensboro – NC 27405 – Ph: (336) 334.4822
Hamlet
Richmond Comm. Coll. (James Bldg, GED or HiSET) – 106 S Rice St – Hamlet – NC 28345 – Ph: (910) 410.1782
Henderson
Vance-Granville Comm. Coll. (GED or HiSET) – 200 Comm College Rd – Henderson – NC 27536 – Ph: (252) 738.3318
Hickory
Catawba Valley Comm. Coll. (GED or HiSET) – 2550 Hwy 70 SE – Hickory – NC 28602 – Ph: (828) 327.7000
High Point
Guilford Tech Comm. Coll. (GED or HiSET) – 901 South Main St – High Point – NC 27260 – Ph: (336) 454.1126/334.4822 x 53122
Hudson
Caldwell Comm. Coll. (GED or HiSET) – 2855 Hickory Blvd – Hudson – NC 28638 – Ph: (828) 726.2721/2719
Jacksonville
Coastal Carolina Comm. Coll. (GED or HiSET) – 444 Western Blvd – Jacksonville – NC 28546 – Ph: (910) 938.6775/6259
Kenansville
James Sprunt Comm. Coll. (GED or HiSET) – 133 James Sprunt Dr – Kenansville – NC 28349 – Ph: (910) 296.2400/2506
Kinston
Lenoir Comm. Coll. (GED or HiSET) – 231 Hwy 58 S – Kinston – NC 28502 – Ph: (252) 527.6223
Laurinburg
Richmond Comm. Coll. (N/A) – 515 S King St – Laurinburg – NC 28352 – Ph: (910) 410.1773
Richmond Comm. Coll.-Morgan Ctr (HiSET) – 517 Peden St – Laurinburg – NC 28352 – Ph: (910) 410.1831
Lillington
Central Carolina Comm. Coll. (GED or HiSET) – 1075 E Corn Harnett Blvd – Lillington – NC 27546 – Ph: (910) 814.8971/8976
Lincolnton
Gaston College (GED) – 511 S Aspen St – Lincolnton – NC 28092 – Ph: (704) 922.6321
Louisburg
Vance-Granville Comm. Coll. (GED) – 8100 NC Hwy 56 – Louisburg – NC 27549 – Ph: (919) 496.1567
Lumberton
Robeson Comm. Coll. (GED or HiSET) – 5160 Fayetteville Rd – Lumberton – NC 28359 – Ph: (910) 272.3700/3614
Marion
McDowell Tech (GED or HiSET) – 54 College Dr – Marion – NC 28752 – Ph: (828) 652.0657/659.6001 ext. 160
Mocksville
Davidson Co. Comm. Coll. (GED or HiSET) – 1205 Salisbury Rd – Mocksville – NC 27028 – Ph: (336) 751.2885/249.8186 x 6787
Monroe
South Piedmont Comm. Coll. (GED or HiSET) – 4209 Old Charlotte Hwy – Monroe – NC 28110 – Ph: (704) 290.5841/5230
Morehead City
Carteret Comm. Coll. (GED or HiSET) – 3505 Arendell St – Morehead City – NC 28557 – Ph: (252) 222.6211
Morganton
Western Piedmont Comm. Coll. (GED or HiSET) – 200 E College Dr – Morganton – NC 28655 – Ph: (828) 448.6750/3134
Murphy
Tri-County Comm. Coll. (HiSET) – 21 Campus Circle, Murphy, NC 28906, Ph: (828) 837.6810
New Bern
Craven Comm. Coll. (GED or HiSET) – 800 College Ct – New Bern – NC 28562 – Ph: (252) 638.7265/7246
Pinehurst
Sandhills Comm. Coll. (HiSET) – 3395 Airport Rd – Pinehurst – NC 28374 – Ph: (910) 695.3777
Polkton
S Piedmont Comm. Coll. (GED) – 680 Hwy 74 W – Polkton – NC 28135 – Ph: (704) 272.5338
Raeford
Sandhills Comm. Coll.-Hoke Ctr (GED or HiSET) – 1110 E Central Ave – Raeford – NC 28376 – Ph: (910) 875.8589/695.3777
Raleigh
Wake Technical Comm. Coll. (GED or HiSET) – 3200 Bush St – Raleigh – NC 27609 – Ph: (919) 334.1571/1538
Harmony Health Career Training Inst (N/A) – 1631 Midtown Pl – Raleigh – NC 27609 – Ph: (919) 841.2465
Rocky Mount
Edgecombe Comm. Coll. (HiSET) – 225 Tarboro St – Rocky Mount – NC 27801 – Ph: (252) 823.5166
Nash Comm. Coll. (GED or HiSET) – 522 N Old Carriage Rd – Rocky Mount – NC 27804 – Ph: (252) 451.8389
Opportunities Industrialization Ctr (HiSET) – 402 E Virginia St – Rocky Mount – NC 27802 – Ph: (252) 212.3471/823.5166
Roxboro
Piedmont Comm. Coll. (HiSET) – 1715 College Dr – Roxboro – NC 27573 – Ph: (919) 599.1181
Salemburg
Tarheel Challenge Academy (HiSET) – 600 N Main St – Salemburg – NC 28385 – Ph: (910) 525.5520
Salisbury
Rowan-Cabarrus Comm. Coll. (GED or HiSET) – 1333 Jake Alexander Blvd – Salisbury – NC 28145 – Ph: (704) 216.3468/3536
Sanford
Central Carolina Comm. Coll. (GED or HiSET) – 5910 Enterprise Park Dr – Sanford – NC 27330 – Ph: (919) 777.7701
Shelby
Cleveland Comm. Coll. (GED or HiSET) – 137 S Post Rd – Shelby – NC 28150 – Ph: (704) 669-4228/4174
Siler City
Central Carolina Comm. Coll. (GED or HiSET) – 400 Progress Blvd – Siler City – NC 27344 – Ph: (919) 545.8661
Smithfield
Johnston Comm. Coll. (GED or HiSET) – 245 College Rd – Smithfield – NC 27577 – Ph: (919) 209.2065/2122
Southern Pines
Sandhills Comm. Coll. (GED) – 3395 Airport Rd – Southern Pines – NC 28374 – Ph: (910) 695.3777
Spindale
Isothermal Comm. Coll. (GED or HiSET) – 286 ICC Loop Rd – Spindale – NC 28160 – Ph: (828) 395.1660/286.3636
Spruce Pine
Mayland Comm. Coll. (GED or HiSET) – 196 Mayland Dr – Spruce Pine – NC 28777 – Ph: (828) 766.1326/1208
Statesville
Mitchell Comm. Coll. (GED or HiSET) – 701 W Front St – Statesville – NC 28677 – Ph: (704) 878.3236
Sylva
Southwestern Comm. Coll. (GED or HiSET) – 447 College Dr – Sylva – NC 28779 – Ph: (828) 586.4486
Tarboro
Edgecombe Comm. Coll. (GED or HiSET) – 2009 W Wilson St – Tarboro – NC 27886 – Ph: (252) 823.5166
Taylorsville
Catawba Valley Comm. Coll. (GED) – 345 Industrial Blvd – Taylorsville – NC 28681 – Ph: (828) 632.8221
Thomasville
Davidson County Comm. Coll. (GED or HiSET) – 297 DCCC Rd – Thomasville – NC 27360 – Ph: (336) 249.8186
Troy
Montgomery Comm. Coll. (HiSET) – 1011 Page St – Troy – NC 27371 – Ph: (910) 576.6222
Wadesboro
S Piedmont Comm. Coll. (HiSET) – 514 N Washington St – Wadesboro – NC 28170 – Ph: (704) 272.5462
Washington
Beaufort Co. Comm. Coll. (GED or HiSET) – 5337 US Hwy 264 E – Washington – NC 27889 – Ph: (252) 946.6194
Weldon
Halifax Comm. Coll. (GED or HiSET) – 100 College Dr – Weldon – NC 27890 – Ph: (252) 536.6362/7235
Wentworth
Rockingham Comm. Coll. (GED or HiSET) – 560 County Home Rd – Wentworth – NC 27375 – Ph: (336) 342.4261
Whiteville
Southeastern Comm. Coll. (HiSET) – 4564 Chadbourn Hwy – Whiteville – NC 28472 – Ph: (910) 642.7141
Wilkesboro
Wilkes Comm. Coll. (HiSET) -1328 S Collegiate Dr – Wilkesboro – NC 28697 – Ph: (336) 667.6493
Williamston
Martin Comm. Coll. (GED or HiSET) – 1161 Kehukee Park Rd – Williamston – NC 27892 – Ph: (252) 789.0229
Wilmington
Cape Fear Comm. Coll. (GED or HiSET) – 411 N Front St – Wilmington – NC 28401 – Ph: (910) 362.7045/7040
Wilson
Wilson Comm. Coll. (GED or HiSET) – 902 Herring Ave – Wilson – NC 27893 – Ph: (252) 246.1356/291-1195
Winston-Salem
Forsyth Tech (GED) – 2100 Silas Creek Pkwy – Winston-Salem – NC 27103 – Ph: (336) 734.7606
Forsyth Tech (N/A) -1300 Bolton St – Winston-Salem – NC 27103 – Ph: (336) 734.7758
Winterville
Pitt Comm. Coll. (GED or HiSET) – 1986 Pitt Tech Rd – Winterville – NC 28590 – Ph: (252) 493.7606
Yanceyville
Piedmont Comm. Coll. (GED or HiSET) – 331 Piedmont Dr – Yanceyville – NC 27379 – Ph: (336) 694.5707

All 58 community colleges in North Carolina are High School Equivalency testing sites.

For adults and women who left high school prematurely, earning their high school equivalency credentials is important as it provides them with the opportunity to get better jobs, and the credential also qualifies them for a college education.

GED Scoring

The GED sub-exams are measured on a 100-200 scale.

The passing score is 145
The high school equivalency score is 145-164
The college-ready score is 165-174
The college-ready plus college credit score is 175-200

HiSET Scoring

HiSET scoring takes place on a scale up to 20, and the passing score on each of the five subtests is 8. Your essay must result in at least a 2 (out of 6) score, and your total score cannot be less than 45, not including your essay score.

North Carolina GED Cost

If you sit for the North Carolina GED exam at a test center, the fee is $26 per individual subtest (module). So then, the entire GED exam will cost you $104.

When you fail a module in North Carolina, you can retake that part without any waiting period, but when you’ve failed a subtest three times, you need to wait 60 days before you can try again.

The testing fee includes two retakes per subject field at no charge, but you need to complete that within one calendar year. After that year, the regular fee will apply again. This only counts for on-site GED testing.

When taking the GED exam online, each sub-exam costs $36 (so $144 for the entire battery). To qualify for online GED testing, however, you must first reach passing scores on the GED Ready practice test. You must buy four of these tests, one for each GED sub-exam, on the website GED.com. That’ll cost you an additional $28!

North Carolina HiSET Cost

The HiSET exam will cost you $10.75 per subject test if you take it computer-based or $15 if you take the HiSET on paper. Per individual subtest, you’ll have two retests at no cost. So, in North Carolina, the HiSET exam costs $53.75 or $75.

To qualify for the online HiSET exam, the “HiSET-At-Home” exam, also referred to as the “Remote Proctored (RP) HiSET Exam,” you also need to reach passing scores on the HiSET Official Practice Test. You will understand that when taken in an online proctored format, the HiSET exam is only available on a computer.

Preparation is crucial, and please don’t forget to check our article about signing up for your GED test at MyGED.

Four GED Subtests

The GED (General Education Development) exam must be taken entirely on a computer and contains four modules (independent subtests) in Mathematical Reasoning (Math), Science, Social Studies, and Reasoning through Language Arts (Literacy).

You have the option to take one module at a time. The HiSET exam has five subtests that may also be taken individually; the Literacy part has separate Language Writing and Language Reading tests.

GED – How to Start

When you are ready to go the GED path, remember the following guidelines to get ahead in acquiring this important diploma. Find a GED prep site near you and find out if you qualify. See if the prep classes are free.

Learn all about their registration policy, as there may be some differences. Registration for the GED must be done online at GED.com, where you’ll be asked to create your account at the online portal MyGED.

Free Online GED Prep in North Carolina

Online GED and HiSET Testing

So now, you can take the GED and HiSET exams online as well. Until recently, you had to come to an official North Carolina testing center and take the exams in person.

Now, that has changed. For information about online HiSET testing, go to this post: Online Proctored HiSET exam, and for more details about the online GED exam, go to this page: Online Proctored GED exam.

Prepare Well

Come to the exam only when you are perfectly prepared. Your local bookstore and library can provide study material for optimal preparation, and there are also many locations in your region where free GED preparation is available (click on a city near you in the listing above).

You may contact an adult high school or another adult education center by phone or email to see if they provide career readiness support programs or see if there are any other options or education forms like online programs to get you all set fast for a great career or continue learning in college.

The free video lessons and practice tests published on this website are generously provided by Onsego GED Prep, an accredited course that GED Testing Service recognizes as one of only 20 online GED courses that are in line with the current GED test. With your GED, any business will be glad to use your skills and knowledge! Check the directory above for a GED prep location in your area.

Why a High School Diploma is Important

Nowadays, most apprenticeships call for a high school degree (or similar), and if you want to go to college, university, or technical/vocational school, you will need a high school or equivalent degree. Going for your HSE diploma is the first and most important step in the direction of a sunnier future.

The objective of adult education is to make sure that applicants will acquire the basic skills needed to access higher education and decently paid employment. The GED program is actually a crucial bridge toward further competency training and higher education, and therefore, sufficient funding remains necessary.

For more information:
North Carolina Community College System
High School Equivalency Division
200 W Jones Street
Raleigh, NC 27603
Phone: 919.807.7100
Fax: 919.807.7165

FAQ about GED in North Carolina

How to get a GED in North Carolina?

Adults looking to earn their High School Equivalency (HSE) diplomas in North Carolina must pass the four separate subtests of the GED test or the five individual subtests that make up the HiSET exam. So North Carolina uses two options to get hold of an equivalency diploma: the fully computerized GED exam and the HiSET, which is available both in a computerized format and on paper.

What are the North Carolina GED testing requirements?

The North Carolina HSE exam is for people who have never completed their high school education. Test-takers don’t have to be state residents, and there’s no requirement to first take prep classes or pass a qualification exam. In North Carolina, the minimum age to qualify for HSE testing is 16, though 16 or 17-year-olds only qualify if they meet strict, additional criteria.

What is the GED cost in North Carolina?

In North Carolina, the GED test costs $104 when you take the exam at one of North Carolina’s official GED testing centers. Online GED testing costs $144 for the full GED exam, but you may count as well the additional $28 for four GED Ready tests, which totals it all to $172. The HiSET exam is 53.75 (when taken on a computer) or $75 (on paper). HSE testers have the option to register for, pay for, and take the four GED or five HiSET subtests one (or more) at a time.