39 Best Art & Design schools in North Carolina

Updated: March 15, 2026

Ranking by academic field

Below is a list of best universities in North Carolina ranked based on their research performance in Art & Design. A graph of 1.92M citations received by 72.4K academic papers made by 39 universities in North Carolina was used to calculate publications' ratings, which then were adjusted for release dates and added to final scores.

We don't distinguish between undergraduate and graduate programs nor do we adjust for current majors offered. You can find information about granted degrees on a university page but always double-check with the university website.

Please note that our approach to subject rankings is based on scientific outputs and heavily biased on art-related topics towards institutions with computer science research profiles.

1. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill

For Art & Design

#11 in the United States

#12 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 15%
Average SAT: 1460
Average ACT: 31
Receiving Aid: 59%

2. Duke University

Durham

For Art & Design

#38 in the United States

#42 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 6%
Average SAT: 1535
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $21,981

3. North Carolina State University at Raleigh

Raleigh

For Art & Design

#51 in the United States

#59 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 42%
Average SAT: 1385
Average ACT: 30
Receiving Aid: 69%

4. University of North Carolina at Charlotte

Charlotte

For Art & Design

#126 in the United States

#150 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 80%
Average SAT: 1235
Average ACT: 25
Receiving Aid: 75%

5. University of North Carolina at Greensboro

Greensboro

For Art & Design

#139 in the United States

#163 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 89%
Average SAT: 1253
Average ACT: 25
Receiving Aid: 92%

6. Wake Forest University

Winston-Salem

For Art & Design

#145 in the United States

#169 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Average SAT: 1465
Average ACT: 33
Net Price: $24,401

7. East Carolina University

Greenville

For Art & Design

#170 in the United States

#197 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 89%
Average SAT: 1155
Average ACT: 24
Receiving Aid: 77%

8. University of North Carolina Wilmington

Wilmington

For Art & Design

#234 in the United States

#265 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 64%
Average SAT: 1285
Average ACT: 27
Receiving Aid: 73%

9. Appalachian State University

Boone

For Art & Design

#238 in the United States

#269 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 90%
Average SAT: 1200
Average ACT: 24
Receiving Aid: 69%

10. Western Carolina University

Cullowhee

For Art & Design

#388 in the United States

#433 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 82%
Average SAT: 1175
Average ACT: 22
Receiving Aid: 90%

11. Elon University

Elon

For Art & Design

#391 in the United States

#437 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 66%
Average SAT: 1205
Average ACT: 26
Net Price: $44,440

12. North Carolina A&T State University

Greensboro

For Art & Design

#395 in the United States

#441 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 50%
Average SAT: 1105
Average ACT: 20
Receiving Aid: 94%

13. Davidson College

Davidson

For Art & Design

#400 in the United States

#446 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 13%
Average SAT: 1465
Average ACT: 33
Net Price: $27,720

14. University of North Carolina at Pembroke

Pembroke

For Art & Design

#418 in the United States

#466 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 93%
Average SAT: 1085
Average ACT: 21
Receiving Aid: 90%

15. St. Andrews University

Laurinburg

For Art & Design

#487 in the United States

#537 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Net Price: $29,474
Receiving Aid: 95%
Average Aid: $21,207

16. Queens University of Charlotte

Charlotte

For Art & Design

#510 in the United States

#561 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 62%
Average SAT: 1240
Average ACT: 24
Net Price: $31,839

17. University of North Carolina at Asheville

Asheville

For Art & Design

#597 in the United States

#656 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 92%
Average SAT: 1265
Average ACT: 26
Receiving Aid: 93%

18. Winston-Salem State University

Winston-Salem

For Art & Design

#674 in the United States

#739 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 78%
Average SAT: 925
Average ACT: 18
Receiving Aid: 97%

19. Fayetteville State University

Fayetteville

For Art & Design

#741 in the United States

#807 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 82%
Average SAT: 990
Average ACT: 17
Receiving Aid: 96%

20. North Carolina Central University

Durham

For Art & Design

#747 in the United States

#813 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 87%
Average ACT: 21
Receiving Aid: 95%
Average Aid: $11,999

21. High Point University

High Point

For Art & Design

#755 in the United States

#821 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 75%
Average SAT: 1215
Average ACT: 29
Net Price: $43,086

22. Campbell University

Buies Creek

For Art & Design

#836 in the United States

#904 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 87%
Net Price: $25,736
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $36,532

23. Guilford College

Greensboro

For Art & Design

#927 in the United States

#997 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 80%
Average SAT: 1190
Average ACT: 21
Net Price: $22,270

24. Lenoir-Rhyne University

Hickory

For Art & Design

#941 in the United States

#1011 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 85%
Net Price: $21,546
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $23,467

25. Methodist University

Fayetteville

For Art & Design

#1059 in the United States

#1135 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 75%
Average SAT: 1165
Average ACT: 25
Net Price: $26,334

26. Meredith College

Raleigh

For Art & Design

#1060 in the United States

#1136 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 74%
Average SAT: 1223
Average ACT: 26
Net Price: $24,323

27. Greensboro College

Greensboro

For Art & Design

#1062 in the United States

#1138 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Net Price: $18,730
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $16,367

28. Piedmont International University

Winston-Salem

For Art & Design

#1076 in the United States

#1153 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 40%
Net Price: $20,412
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $11,947

29. Wingate University

Wingate

For Art & Design

#1090 in the United States

#1167 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 91%
Average SAT: 1110
Average ACT: 22
Net Price: $21,282

30. Warren Wilson College

Swannanoa

For Art & Design

#1118 in the United States

#1196 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 71%
Average ACT: 27
Net Price: $26,084
Receiving Aid: 100%

31. Salem College

Winston-Salem

For Art & Design

#1132 in the United States

#1210 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 77%
Average SAT: 1155
Average ACT: 19
Net Price: $18,668

32. Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary

Wake Forest

For Art & Design

#1233 in the United States

#1313 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 75%
Average SAT: 1125
Average ACT: 23
Net Price: $16,031

33. Barton College

Wilson

For Art & Design

#1242 in the United States

#1323 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 94%
Net Price: $23,962
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $27,266

34. Catawba College

Salisbury

For Art & Design

#1258 in the United States

#1339 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 75%
Average SAT: 1165
Average ACT: 21
Net Price: $18,447

35. Gardner-Webb University

Boiling Springs

For Art & Design

#1261 in the United States

#1342 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 77%
Average SAT: 1087
Average ACT: 22
Net Price: $20,016

36. Pfeiffer University

Misenheimer

For Art & Design

#1282 in the United States

#1364 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 96%
Net Price: $19,660
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $25,951

37. Elizabeth City State University

Elizabeth City

For Art & Design

#1288 in the United States

#1371 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 64%
Average SAT: 1000
Average ACT: 19
Receiving Aid: 93%

38. Johnson C Smith University

Charlotte

For Art & Design

#1304 in the United States

#1388 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 45%
Net Price: $19,705
Receiving Aid: 99%
Average Aid: $15,238

39. University of Mount Olive

Mount Olive

For Art & Design

#1366 in the United States

#1451 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 76%
Average ACT: 21
Net Price: $18,853
Receiving Aid: 100%

Closest to North Carolina states to learn Art & Design

State	Universities Unis	Best university country rank Best uni rank
South Carolina	23	75
Virginia	38	36
West Virginia	13	122
Georgia	41	28
District of Columbia	9	56
Maryland	26	21
Kentucky	20	80
Tennessee	30	53
Ohio	53	19
Pennsylvania	95	12
Alabama	23	100
New Jersey	25	22
Indiana	30	27
Florida	45	34
Connecticut	20	20
Illinois	68	3
New York	124	8
Mississippi	10	166
Rhode Island	9	65
Massachusetts	65	5
Michigan	34	4
Arkansas	15	116
Vermont	9	147
Missouri	34	48
New Hampshire	11	84
Louisiana	21	73
Wisconsin	28	9
Iowa	25	45
Maine	9	174
Oklahoma	17	95
Kansas	12	62
Minnesota	25	26
Nebraska	10	88
Texas	68	13
South Dakota	8	377
North Dakota	5	227
Colorado	19	42
Puerto Rico	5	423
New Mexico	7	96
Montana	5	184
Utah	10	44
Arizona	7	24
Idaho	7	219
Nevada	4	137
Oregon	16	86
California	117	1
Washington	20	7
Alaska	4	233
Hawaii	6	87

Closest to North Carolina states to learn Art & Design

Art & Design subfields in North Carolina