32 Best colleges for Paleontology 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 Paleontology. A graph of 4.86M citations received by 107K academic papers made by 32 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.

1. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill

For Paleontology

#25 in the United States

#28 in North America

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

2. Duke University

Durham

For Paleontology

#31 in the United States

#35 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 Paleontology

#44 in the United States

#49 in North America

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

4. Wake Forest University

Winston-Salem

For Paleontology

#126 in the United States

#147 in North America

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

5. East Carolina University

Greenville

For Paleontology

#171 in the United States

#198 in North America

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

6. University of North Carolina at Charlotte

Charlotte

For Paleontology

#178 in the United States

#205 in North America

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

7. University of North Carolina at Greensboro

Greensboro

For Paleontology

#215 in the United States

#248 in North America

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

8. University of North Carolina Wilmington

Wilmington

For Paleontology

#241 in the United States

#276 in North America

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

9. Appalachian State University

Boone

For Paleontology

#283 in the United States

#324 in North America

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

10. North Carolina A&T State University

Greensboro

For Paleontology

#304 in the United States

#347 in North America

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

11. Western Carolina University

Cullowhee

For Paleontology

#320 in the United States

#366 in North America

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

12. Davidson College

Davidson

For Paleontology

#523 in the United States

#575 in North America

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

13. University of North Carolina at Asheville

Asheville

For Paleontology

#576 in the United States

#630 in North America

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

14. North Carolina Central University

Durham

For Paleontology

#578 in the United States

#632 in North America

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

15. Elon University

Elon

For Paleontology

#604 in the United States

#660 in North America

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

16. Campbell University

Buies Creek

For Paleontology

#609 in the United States

#665 in North America

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

17. University of North Carolina at Pembroke

Pembroke

For Paleontology

#657 in the United States

#716 in North America

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

18. Fayetteville State University

Fayetteville

For Paleontology

#680 in the United States

#740 in North America

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

19. High Point University

High Point

For Paleontology

#696 in the United States

#756 in North America

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

20. Winston-Salem State University

Winston-Salem

For Paleontology

#783 in the United States

#848 in North America

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

21. Queens University of Charlotte

Charlotte

For Paleontology

#802 in the United States

#868 in North America

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

22. St. Andrews University

Laurinburg

For Paleontology

#832 in the United States

#899 in North America

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

23. Methodist University

Fayetteville

For Paleontology

#889 in the United States

#956 in North America

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

24. Greensboro College

Greensboro

For Paleontology

#957 in the United States

#1025 in North America

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

25. Wingate University

Wingate

For Paleontology

#983 in the United States

#1052 in North America

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

26. Guilford College

Greensboro

For Paleontology

#993 in the United States

#1062 in North America

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

27. Piedmont International University

Winston-Salem

For Paleontology

#1066 in the United States

#1139 in North America

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

28. Meredith College

Raleigh

For Paleontology

#1112 in the United States

#1186 in North America

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

29. Warren Wilson College

Swannanoa

For Paleontology

#1134 in the United States

#1209 in North America

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

30. Elizabeth City State University

Elizabeth City

For Paleontology

#1159 in the United States

#1234 in North America

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

31. Johnson C Smith University

Charlotte

For Paleontology

#1203 in the United States

#1280 in North America

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

32. Catawba College

Salisbury

For Paleontology

#1256 in the United States

#1334 in North America

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

Closest to North Carolina states to learn Paleontology

State	Universities Unis	Best university country rank Best uni rank
South Carolina	23	95
Virginia	37	47
West Virginia	15	115
Georgia	33	30
District of Columbia	8	109
Maryland	24	14
Kentucky	20	63
Tennessee	27	55
Ohio	49	20
Pennsylvania	85	17
Alabama	22	80
New Jersey	21	28
Indiana	27	41
Florida	40	15
Connecticut	20	13
Illinois	57	12
New York	113	5
Mississippi	10	133
Rhode Island	9	57
Massachusetts	60	1
Michigan	28	6
Arkansas	15	121
Vermont	6	114
Missouri	28	24
New Hampshire	11	88
Louisiana	20	60
Wisconsin	27	7
Iowa	18	42
Maine	12	140
Oklahoma	15	82
Kansas	11	78
Minnesota	24	11
Nebraska	12	84
Texas	63	18
South Dakota	8	214
North Dakota	5	186
Colorado	18	39
Puerto Rico	13	302
New Mexico	6	79
Montana	6	85
Utah	9	34
Arizona	7	22
Idaho	6	130
Nevada	7	108
Oregon	16	45
California	104	2
Washington	24	3
Alaska	4	110
Hawaii	6	96

Closest to North Carolina states to learn Paleontology

Biology subfields in North Carolina