37 Best Business 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 Business. A graph of 4.72M citations received by 134K academic papers made by 37 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. Duke University

Durham

For Business

#32 in the United States

#34 in North America

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

2. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill

For Business

#33 in the United States

#35 in North America

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

3. North Carolina State University at Raleigh

Raleigh

For Business

#45 in the United States

#53 in North America

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

4. University of North Carolina at Charlotte

Charlotte

For Business

#128 in the United States

#151 in North America

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

5. University of North Carolina at Greensboro

Greensboro

For Business

#148 in the United States

#173 in North America

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

6. Wake Forest University

Winston-Salem

For Business

#151 in the United States

#176 in North America

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

7. East Carolina University

Greenville

For Business

#159 in the United States

#185 in North America

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

8. University of North Carolina Wilmington

Wilmington

For Business

#253 in the United States

#286 in North America

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

9. Appalachian State University

Boone

For Business

#255 in the United States

#288 in North America

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

10. North Carolina A&T State University

Greensboro

For Business

#288 in the United States

#324 in North America

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

11. Western Carolina University

Cullowhee

For Business

#346 in the United States

#386 in North America

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

12. Elon University

Elon

For Business

#423 in the United States

#468 in North America

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

13. Davidson College

Davidson

For Business

#431 in the United States

#477 in North America

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

14. Fayetteville State University

Fayetteville

For Business

#476 in the United States

#524 in North America

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

15. University of North Carolina at Pembroke

Pembroke

For Business

#549 in the United States

#606 in North America

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

16. North Carolina Central University

Durham

For Business

#555 in the United States

#612 in North America

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

17. Queens University of Charlotte

Charlotte

For Business

#610 in the United States

#669 in North America

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

18. Methodist University

Fayetteville

For Business

#667 in the United States

#728 in North America

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

19. Winston-Salem State University

Winston-Salem

For Business

#698 in the United States

#762 in North America

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

20. University of North Carolina at Asheville

Asheville

For Business

#722 in the United States

#786 in North America

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

21. Guilford College

Greensboro

For Business

#740 in the United States

#804 in North America

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

22. Campbell University

Buies Creek

For Business

#766 in the United States

#832 in North America

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

23. High Point University

High Point

For Business

#818 in the United States

#885 in North America

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

24. Pfeiffer University

Misenheimer

For Business

#869 in the United States

#939 in North America

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

25. Meredith College

Raleigh

For Business

#895 in the United States

#966 in North America

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

26. St. Andrews University

Laurinburg

For Business

#902 in the United States

#974 in North America

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

27. Wingate University

Wingate

For Business

#979 in the United States

#1054 in North America

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

28. Gardner-Webb University

Boiling Springs

For Business

#986 in the United States

#1061 in North America

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

29. Piedmont International University

Winston-Salem

For Business

#989 in the United States

#1064 in North America

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

30. Elizabeth City State University

Elizabeth City

For Business

#1051 in the United States

#1126 in North America

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

31. Johnson C Smith University

Charlotte

For Business

#1127 in the United States

#1203 in North America

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

32. Greensboro College

Greensboro

For Business

#1141 in the United States

#1217 in North America

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

33. Lenoir-Rhyne University

Hickory

For Business

#1187 in the United States

#1264 in North America

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

34. University of Mount Olive

Mount Olive

For Business

#1208 in the United States

#1285 in North America

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

35. Catawba College

Salisbury

For Business

#1246 in the United States

#1324 in North America

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

36. Salem College

Winston-Salem

For Business

#1288 in the United States

#1366 in North America

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

37. Warren Wilson College

Swannanoa

For Business

#1312 in the United States

#1391 in North America

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

Closest to North Carolina states to learn Business

State	Universities Unis	Best university country rank Best uni rank
South Carolina	24	58
Virginia	40	36
West Virginia	14	112
Georgia	39	29
District of Columbia	9	52
Maryland	26	15
Kentucky	24	68
Tennessee	29	50
Delaware	3	84
Ohio	54	21
Pennsylvania	97	6
Alabama	23	89
New Jersey	25	28
Indiana	30	30
Florida	48	27
Connecticut	20	20
Illinois	60	8
New York	123	7
Mississippi	12	130
Rhode Island	9	94
Massachusetts	64	4
Michigan	34	2
Arkansas	16	111
Vermont	8	140
Missouri	32	42
New Hampshire	11	65
Louisiana	23	80
Wisconsin	31	18
Iowa	24	44
Maine	10	235
Oklahoma	16	92
Kansas	11	88
Minnesota	26	17
Nebraska	11	81
Texas	72	16
South Dakota	8	357
North Dakota	6	200
Colorado	19	55
Puerto Rico	11	490
New Mexico	7	113
Montana	5	215
Utah	10	57
Arizona	8	24
Idaho	7	204
Nevada	6	119
Oregon	17	98
California	110	1
Washington	26	9
Alaska	4	328
Hawaii	6	123

Closest to North Carolina states to learn Business

Business subfields in North Carolina