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Best Colleges in North Carolina

All 102 colleges in North Carolina, ranked by overall quality and led by Duke University, Davidson College and Wake Forest University. 47 public, 55 private. median out-of-state tuition $17,575. lowest in-state tuition $1,944 at Vance-Granville Community College. Each school below shows its acceptance rate, tuition and average SAT.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best college in North Carolina?

Based on our overall rankings, Duke University is the top-ranked college in North Carolina. Other strong choices include Davidson College, Wake Forest University, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

How many colleges are in North Carolina?

We track 102 four-year colleges in North Carolina, including 47 public institutions and 55 private ones.

How much does college cost in North Carolina?

The average out-of-state tuition across colleges we track in North Carolina is approximately $17,575 per year. In-state students at public schools typically pay significantly less, and most schools offer financial aid that reduces the effective cost.

What are the best public colleges in North Carolina?

The best public colleges in North Carolina include University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, North Carolina State University at Raleigh, University of North Carolina Wilmington. Public universities typically offer lower tuition for in-state residents.

What are the best private colleges in North Carolina?

The best private colleges in North Carolina include Duke University, Davidson College, Wake Forest University. Private colleges may offer more generous financial aid despite higher sticker prices.

How are these North Carolina rankings determined?

Our overall rankings are calculated independently from publicly available data including U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, IPEDS, and aggregated student-experience signals — not from US News or any other publication.

By major in North Carolina

  1. 1. Duke University — Durham, NC · 5.7% acceptance · SAT 1,548 · $68,758 tuition · 97% grad rate
  2. 2. Davidson College — Davidson, NC · 13.4% acceptance · SAT 1,469 · $64,410 tuition · 91% grad rate
  3. 3. Wake Forest University — Winston-Salem, NC · 21.7% acceptance · SAT 1,475 · $67,642 tuition · 89% grad rate
  4. 4. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill — Chapel Hill, NC · 15.3% acceptance · SAT 1,439 · $41,203 tuition · 91% grad rate
  5. 5. Elon University — Elon, NC · 66.4% acceptance · SAT 1,208 · $46,958 tuition · 84% grad rate
  6. 6. North Carolina State University at Raleigh — Raleigh, NC · 41.7% acceptance · SAT 1,376 · $32,847 tuition · 85% grad rate
  7. 7. High Point University — High Point, NC · 75.3% acceptance · SAT 1,288 · $45,312 tuition · 74% grad rate
  8. 8. Cabarrus College of Health Sciences — Concord, NC · 23.4% acceptance · SAT 1,150 · $16,550 tuition · 62% grad rate
  9. 9. University of North Carolina Wilmington — Wilmington, NC · 64.2% acceptance · SAT 1,287 · $24,152 tuition · 71% grad rate
  10. 10. University of North Carolina at Charlotte — Charlotte, NC · 79.6% acceptance · SAT 1,231 · $22,492 tuition · 69% grad rate
  11. 11. Appalachian State University — Boone, NC · 90.1% acceptance · SAT 1,214 · $25,212 tuition · 75% grad rate
  12. 12. Carolinas College of Health Sciences — Charlotte, NC · 59.9% acceptance · SAT 1,130 · $18,882 tuition · 100% grad rate
  13. 13. University of North Carolina School of the Arts — Winston Salem, NC · 30% acceptance · SAT 1,260 · $27,211 tuition · 78% grad rate
  14. 14. Queens University of Charlotte — Charlotte, NC · 62.1% acceptance · SAT 1,206 · $45,846 tuition · 61% grad rate
  15. 15. East Carolina University — Greenville, NC · 89.2% acceptance · SAT 1,180 · $23,638 tuition · 63% grad rate
  16. 16. Meredith College — Raleigh, NC · 74.2% acceptance · SAT 1,204 · $45,630 tuition · 70% grad rate
  17. 17. Manna University — Fayetteville, NC · 52.7% acceptance · $9,105 tuition · 74% grad rate
  18. 18. NASCAR Technical Institute — Mooresville, NC · 65% grad rate
  19. 19. Campbell University — Buies Creek, NC · 87.2% acceptance · $41,600 tuition · 61% grad rate
  20. 20. Western Carolina University — Cullowhee, NC · 81.8% acceptance · SAT 1,157 · $8,630 tuition · 60% grad rate
  21. 21. University of North Carolina at Greensboro — Greensboro, NC · 88.5% acceptance · SAT 1,193 · $24,012 tuition · 56% grad rate
  22. 22. North Carolina A & T State University — Greensboro, NC · 49.9% acceptance · SAT 1,074 · $20,673 tuition · 57% grad rate
  23. 23. Catawba College — Salisbury, NC · 75.2% acceptance · SAT 1,096 · $34,300 tuition · 47% grad rate
  24. 24. Salem College — Winston-Salem, NC · 76.7% acceptance · SAT 1,082 · $33,848 tuition · 57% grad rate
  25. 25. Wingate University — Wingate, NC · 91.1% acceptance · SAT 1,111 · $41,636 tuition · 46% grad rate
  26. 26. University of North Carolina Asheville — Asheville, NC · 91.9% acceptance · SAT 1,251 · $24,849 tuition · 54% grad rate
  27. 27. Gardner-Webb University — Boiling Springs, NC · 77.2% acceptance · SAT 1,113 · $34,760 tuition · 55% grad rate
  28. 28. University of Mount Olive — Mount Olive, NC · 75.8% acceptance · SAT 1,050 · $27,366 tuition · 52% grad rate
  29. 29. Lenoir-Rhyne University — Hickory, NC · 84.6% acceptance · $31,900 tuition · 48% grad rate
  30. 30. Winston-Salem State University — Winston-Salem, NC · 78.3% acceptance · SAT 945 · $16,782 tuition · 47% grad rate
  31. 31. Belmont Abbey College — Belmont, NC · 74.7% acceptance · SAT 1,099 · $19,500 tuition · 47% grad rate
  32. 32. Johnson & Wales University-Charlotte — Charlotte, NC · 79.9% acceptance · SAT 1,007 · $42,419 tuition · 49% grad rate
  33. 33. William Peace University — Raleigh, NC · 94.3% acceptance · SAT 1,170 · $34,176 tuition · 45% grad rate
  34. 34. Barton College — Wilson, NC · 94.2% acceptance · $37,250 tuition · 46% grad rate
  35. 35. Guilford College — Greensboro, NC · 80% acceptance · SAT 1,105 · $41,362 tuition · 46% grad rate
  36. 36. Pfeiffer University — Misenheimer, NC · 96% acceptance · $35,070 tuition · 35% grad rate
  37. 37. Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary — Wake Forest, NC · 74.6% acceptance · SAT 1,127 · $11,318 tuition · 58% grad rate
  38. 38. McDowell Technical Community College — Marion, NC · $6,640 tuition · 48% grad rate
  39. 39. Elizabeth City State University — Elizabeth City, NC · 64.2% acceptance · SAT 1,019 · $10,536 tuition · 44% grad rate
  40. 40. North Carolina Central University — Durham, NC · 87% acceptance · SAT 1,050 · $19,735 tuition · 42% grad rate
  41. 41. University of North Carolina at Pembroke — Pembroke, NC · 93.3% acceptance · SAT 1,056 · $7,648 tuition · 44% grad rate
  42. 42. Methodist University — Fayetteville, NC · 75.1% acceptance · SAT 1,182 · $41,250 tuition · 44% grad rate
  43. 43. Tri-County Community College — Murphy, NC · $8,780 tuition · 54% grad rate
  44. 44. Greensboro College — Greensboro, NC · 70.1% acceptance · $21,000 tuition · 46% grad rate
  45. 45. Chamberlain University-North Carolina — Charlotte, NC · 100% acceptance · $20,785 tuition
  46. 46. Mars Hill University — Mars Hill, NC · 67.9% acceptance · $37,736 tuition · 45% grad rate
  47. 47. Vance-Granville Community College — Henderson, NC · $6,552 tuition · 53% grad rate
  48. 48. Lees-McRae College — Banner Elk, NC · 76.8% acceptance · $33,250 tuition · 42% grad rate
  49. 49. Sandhills Community College — Pinehurst, NC · $6,648 tuition · 53% grad rate
  50. 50. Sampson Community College — Clinton, NC · $9,789 tuition · 56% grad rate
  51. 51. Montreat College — Montreat, NC · 69.2% acceptance · $36,450 tuition · 50% grad rate
  52. 52. Mayland Community College — Spruce Pine, NC · $8,770 tuition · 46% grad rate
  53. 53. Southeastern Free Will Baptist Bible College — Wendell, NC · $11,739 tuition · 50% grad rate
  54. 54. Brevard College — Brevard, NC · 42.2% acceptance · SAT 1,060 · $32,280 tuition · 49% grad rate
  55. 55. North Carolina Wesleyan University — Rocky Mount, NC · 80.2% acceptance · $35,736 tuition · 42% grad rate
  56. 56. Fayetteville State University — Fayetteville, NC · 82.2% acceptance · SAT 959 · $8,353 tuition · 38% grad rate
  57. 57. Western Piedmont Community College — Morganton, NC · $8,794 tuition · 43% grad rate
  58. 58. Craven Community College — New Bern, NC · $6,630 tuition · 48% grad rate
  59. 59. Warren Wilson College — Swannanoa, NC · 71.3% acceptance · SAT 1,350 · $41,500 tuition · 42% grad rate
  60. 60. Johnson C Smith University — Charlotte, NC · 45.2% acceptance · $21,300 tuition · 34% grad rate
  61. 61. Brunswick Community College — Bolivia, NC · $8,697 tuition · 40% grad rate
  62. 62. Coastal Carolina Community College — Jacksonville, NC · $8,656 tuition · 49% grad rate
  63. 63. Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute — Hudson, NC · $6,526 tuition · 45% grad rate
  64. 64. Central Carolina Community College — Sanford, NC · $8,855 tuition · 43% grad rate
  65. 65. Durham Technical Community College — Durham, NC · $6,594 tuition · 45% grad rate
  66. 66. Haywood Community College — Clyde, NC · $8,724 tuition · 40% grad rate
  67. 67. Cape Fear Community College — Wilmington, NC · $8,892 tuition · 34% grad rate
  68. 68. College of the Albemarle — Elizabeth City, NC · $7,652 tuition · 35% grad rate
  69. 69. Southeastern Community College — Whiteville, NC · $8,744 tuition · 43% grad rate
  70. 70. Catawba Valley Community College — Hickory, NC · $7,803 tuition · 35% grad rate
  71. 71. Chowan University — Murfreesboro, NC · 68.8% acceptance · $27,910 tuition · 30% grad rate
  72. 72. South Piedmont Community College — Polkton, NC · $6,630 tuition · 38% grad rate
  73. 73. Bennett College — Greensboro, NC · 50.7% acceptance · SAT 925 · $19,140 tuition · 25% grad rate
  74. 74. Wilson Community College — Wilson, NC · $8,716 tuition · 33% grad rate
  75. 75. Piedmont Community College — Roxboro, NC · $8,700 tuition · 39% grad rate
  76. 76. Forsyth Technical Community College — Winston-Salem, NC · $6,884 tuition · 34% grad rate
  77. 77. Pitt Community College — Winterville, NC · $8,724 tuition · 35% grad rate
  78. 78. Halifax Community College — Weldon, NC · $8,752 tuition · 35% grad rate
  79. 79. Roanoke-Chowan Community College — Ahoskie, NC · $8,786 tuition · 30% grad rate
  80. 80. Rockingham Community College — Wentworth, NC · $6,574 tuition · 35% grad rate
  81. 81. Guilford Technical Community College — Jamestown, NC · $7,696 tuition · 31% grad rate
  82. 82. Strayer University-North Carolina — Greensboro, NC · $13,920 tuition · 33% grad rate
  83. 83. Livingstone College — Salisbury, NC · 59.3% acceptance · $18,296 tuition · 28% grad rate
  84. 84. Bladen Community College — Dublin, NC · $8,762 tuition · 23% grad rate
  85. 85. Robeson Community College — Lumberton, NC · $8,725 tuition · 33% grad rate
  86. 86. Mid-Atlantic Christian University — Elizabeth City, NC · 62.2% acceptance · SAT 1,000 · $17,280 tuition · 32% grad rate
  87. 87. Carolina University — Winston-Salem, NC · 39.5% acceptance · $17,575 tuition · 22% grad rate
  88. 88. Louisburg College — Louisburg, NC · 55.8% acceptance · $24,120 tuition · 29% grad rate
  89. 89. Shaw University — Raleigh, NC · 80.2% acceptance · $17,538 tuition · 22% grad rate
  90. 90. Saint Augustine's University — Raleigh, NC · 33.8% acceptance · $16,896 tuition · 25% grad rate
  91. 91. Heritage Bible College — Dunn, NC · $8,688 tuition
  92. 92. Carolina College of Biblical Studies — Fayetteville, NC · $6,906 tuition
  93. 93. South University-High Point — High Point, NC · $18,145 tuition · 11% grad rate
  94. 94. Carolina Christian College — Winston Salem, NC · $9,970 tuition · 15% grad rate
  95. 95. Galen Health Institutes-Asheville — Asheville, NC · $17,048 tuition
  96. 96. Cleveland Community College — Shelby, NC · $8,746 tuition · 20% grad rate
  97. 97. Charlotte Christian College and Theological Seminary — Charlotte, NC · $12,858 tuition
  98. 98. Watts College of Nursing — Durham, NC
  99. 99. Hood Theological Seminary — Salisbury, NC
  100. 100. Daoist Traditions College of Chinese Medical Arts — Asheville, NC
  101. 101. Jung Tao School of Classical Chinese Medicine — Sugar Grove, NC
  102. 102. Shepherds Theological Seminary — Cary, NC

Best Colleges in North Carolina on PickACampus