33 Best colleges for Development Studies 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 Development Studies. A graph of 2.17M citations received by 66.9K academic papers made by 33 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 Development Studies

#9 in the United States

#10 in North America

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

2. Duke University

Durham

For Development Studies

#23 in the United States

#25 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 Development Studies

#71 in the United States

#80 in North America

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

4. Wake Forest University

Winston-Salem

For Development Studies

#115 in the United States

#132 in North America

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

5. University of North Carolina at Greensboro

Greensboro

For Development Studies

#120 in the United States

#139 in North America

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

6. East Carolina University

Greenville

For Development Studies

#122 in the United States

#141 in North America

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

7. University of North Carolina at Charlotte

Charlotte

For Development Studies

#130 in the United States

#149 in North America

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

8. Appalachian State University

Boone

For Development Studies

#228 in the United States

#257 in North America

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

9. University of North Carolina Wilmington

Wilmington

For Development Studies

#286 in the United States

#320 in North America

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

10. Elon University

Elon

For Development Studies

#345 in the United States

#382 in North America

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

11. North Carolina A&T State University

Greensboro

For Development Studies

#351 in the United States

#389 in North America

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

12. Western Carolina University

Cullowhee

For Development Studies

#368 in the United States

#408 in North America

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

13. Davidson College

Davidson

For Development Studies

#382 in the United States

#422 in North America

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

14. Winston-Salem State University

Winston-Salem

For Development Studies

#430 in the United States

#473 in North America

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

15. University of North Carolina at Pembroke

Pembroke

For Development Studies

#525 in the United States

#574 in North America

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

16. North Carolina Central University

Durham

For Development Studies

#559 in the United States

#612 in North America

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

17. Fayetteville State University

Fayetteville

For Development Studies

#588 in the United States

#643 in North America

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

18. Campbell University

Buies Creek

For Development Studies

#631 in the United States

#689 in North America

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

19. Queens University of Charlotte

Charlotte

For Development Studies

#639 in the United States

#697 in North America

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

20. University of North Carolina at Asheville

Asheville

For Development Studies

#731 in the United States

#794 in North America

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

21. Methodist University

Fayetteville

For Development Studies

#746 in the United States

#811 in North America

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

22. High Point University

High Point

For Development Studies

#812 in the United States

#881 in North America

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

23. Wingate University

Wingate

For Development Studies

#824 in the United States

#893 in North America

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

24. Pfeiffer University

Misenheimer

For Development Studies

#938 in the United States

#1008 in North America

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

25. Greensboro College

Greensboro

For Development Studies

#962 in the United States

#1033 in North America

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

26. Piedmont International University

Winston-Salem

For Development Studies

#997 in the United States

#1070 in North America

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

27. St. Andrews University

Laurinburg

For Development Studies

#1014 in the United States

#1087 in North America

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

28. Guilford College

Greensboro

For Development Studies

#1040 in the United States

#1113 in North America

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

29. Gardner-Webb University

Boiling Springs

For Development Studies

#1069 in the United States

#1143 in North America

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

30. Meredith College

Raleigh

For Development Studies

#1079 in the United States

#1154 in North America

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

31. Johnson C Smith University

Charlotte

For Development Studies

#1112 in the United States

#1188 in North America

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

32. Elizabeth City State University

Elizabeth City

For Development Studies

#1118 in the United States

#1194 in North America

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

33. Lenoir-Rhyne University

Hickory

For Development Studies

#1145 in the United States

#1221 in North America

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

Closest to North Carolina states to learn Development Studies

State	Universities Unis	Best university country rank Best uni rank
South Carolina	20	62
Virginia	29	42
West Virginia	9	101
Georgia	34	35
District of Columbia	9	40
Maryland	24	3
Kentucky	21	57
Tennessee	24	38
Ohio	44	20
Pennsylvania	83	8
Alabama	19	67
New Jersey	21	26
Indiana	26	41
Florida	37	31
Connecticut	19	12
Illinois	53	10
New York	110	6
Mississippi	10	181
Rhode Island	9	45
Massachusetts	58	1
Michigan	25	2
Arkansas	13	141
Vermont	7	128
Missouri	25	47
New Hampshire	10	63
Louisiana	21	92
Wisconsin	27	15
Iowa	15	43
Maine	9	234
Oklahoma	13	116
Kansas	9	73
Minnesota	24	13
Nebraska	9	93
Texas	63	25
South Dakota	8	325
North Dakota	5	232
Colorado	17	50
Puerto Rico	9	574
New Mexico	6	89
Montana	4	185
Utah	9	44
Arizona	7	28
Idaho	4	215
Nevada	5	145
Oregon	17	64
California	98	4
Washington	20	5
Alaska	3	309
Hawaii	5	109

Economics subfields in North Carolina

Actuarial Science9

Agricultural Economics7

Econometrics and Mathematical Economics17

Environmental Economics8

Finance26

International Economics9

International Relations and Diplomacy10

International Trade11

Investment Banking and Stock trading12

Political Economy14