33 Best colleges for Development Studies in North Carolina

Updated: March 02, 2025

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 2.06M citations received by 64.9K 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: 19%
Average SAT: 1450
Average ACT: 32
Receiving Aid: 58%

2. Duke University

Durham

For Development Studies

#23 in the United States

#25 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 7%
Average SAT: 1540
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $23,422

3. North Carolina State University at Raleigh

Raleigh

For Development Studies

#71 in the United States

#80 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 40%
Average SAT: 1380
Average ACT: 30
Receiving Aid: 68%

4. Wake Forest University

Winston-Salem

For Development Studies

#115 in the United States

#132 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Average SAT: 1450
Average ACT: 33
Net Price: $27,790

5. University of North Carolina at Greensboro

Greensboro

For Development Studies

#120 in the United States

#139 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 90%
Average SAT: 1190
Average ACT: 25
Receiving Aid: 90%

6. East Carolina University

Greenville

For Development Studies

#121 in the United States

#140 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 90%
Average SAT: 1125
Average ACT: 23
Receiving Aid: 79%

7. University of North Carolina at Charlotte

Charlotte

For Development Studies

#131 in the United States

#150 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 80%
Average SAT: 1215
Average ACT: 24
Receiving Aid: 72%

8. Appalachian State University

Boone

For Development Studies

#230 in the United States

#259 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 89%
Average SAT: 1190
Average ACT: 24
Receiving Aid: 70%

9. University of North Carolina Wilmington

Wilmington

For Development Studies

#291 in the United States

#325 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 74%
Average SAT: 1290
Average ACT: 26
Receiving Aid: 72%

10. Elon University

Elon

For Development Studies

#351 in the United States

#389 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 67%
Average SAT: 1224
Average ACT: 26
Net Price: $41,849

11. North Carolina A&T State University

Greensboro

For Development Studies

#353 in the United States

#391 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 46%
Average SAT: 1075
Average ACT: 19
Receiving Aid: 96%

12. Western Carolina University

Cullowhee

For Development Studies

#369 in the United States

#409 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 87%
Average SAT: 1155
Average ACT: 23
Receiving Aid: 99%

13. Davidson College

Davidson

For Development Studies

#382 in the United States

#422 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 14%
Average SAT: 1435
Average ACT: 33
Net Price: $26,510

14. Winston-Salem State University

Winston-Salem

For Development Studies

#437 in the United States

#480 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 69%
Average SAT: 935
Average ACT: 16
Receiving Aid: 96%

15. University of North Carolina at Pembroke

Pembroke

For Development Studies

#526 in the United States

#574 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 92%
Receiving Aid: 88%
Average Aid: $7,008
Enrollment: 7,630

16. North Carolina Central University

Durham

For Development Studies

#563 in the United States

#615 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 90%
Average SAT: 1040
Average ACT: 18
Receiving Aid: 96%

17. Fayetteville State University

Fayetteville

For Development Studies

#587 in the United States

#643 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 80%
Average SAT: 950
Average ACT: 18
Receiving Aid: 95%

18. Queens University of Charlotte

Charlotte

For Development Studies

#638 in the United States

#696 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 68%
Average SAT: 1205
Average ACT: 27
Net Price: $27,178

19. Campbell University

Buies Creek

For Development Studies

#644 in the United States

#702 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 94%
Net Price: $24,517
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $34,413

20. University of North Carolina at Asheville

Asheville

For Development Studies

#732 in the United States

#795 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 94%
Average SAT: 1260
Average ACT: 26
Receiving Aid: 93%

21. Methodist University

Fayetteville

For Development Studies

#736 in the United States

#800 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 75%
Average SAT: 1165
Average ACT: 24
Net Price: $25,786

22. Wingate University

Wingate

For Development Studies

#826 in the United States

#895 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 85%
Average SAT: 1130
Average ACT: 21
Net Price: $21,464

23. High Point University

High Point

For Development Studies

#830 in the United States

#899 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 77%
Average SAT: 1205
Average ACT: 27
Net Price: $43,578

24. Pfeiffer University

Misenheimer

For Development Studies

#932 in the United States

#1002 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 95%
Net Price: $21,402
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $25,458

25. Greensboro College

Greensboro

For Development Studies

#966 in the United States

#1036 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 92%
Net Price: $19,783
Receiving Aid: 99%
Average Aid: $14,676

26. Piedmont International University

Winston-Salem

For Development Studies

#988 in the United States

#1059 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 34%
Net Price: $19,111
Receiving Aid: 99%
Average Aid: $11,743

27. St. Andrews University

Laurinburg

For Development Studies

#1010 in the United States

#1083 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Net Price: $31,503
Receiving Aid: 98%
Average Aid: $18,206

28. Guilford College

Greensboro

For Development Studies

#1026 in the United States

#1099 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 84%
Average SAT: 1130
Average ACT: 22
Net Price: $22,620

29. Gardner-Webb University

Boiling Springs

For Development Studies

#1068 in the United States

#1142 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 87%
Average SAT: 1150
Average ACT: 23
Net Price: $24,035

30. Meredith College

Raleigh

For Development Studies

#1086 in the United States

#1160 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 75%
Average SAT: 1185
Average ACT: 27
Net Price: $23,405

31. Johnson C Smith University

Charlotte

For Development Studies

#1106 in the United States

#1182 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 43%
Net Price: $19,326
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $14,883

32. Elizabeth City State University

Elizabeth City

For Development Studies

#1122 in the United States

#1198 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Receiving Aid: 96%
Average Aid: $10,554
Enrollment: 2,165

33. Lenoir-Rhyne University

Hickory

For Development Studies

#1135 in the United States

#1211 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 81%
Net Price: $24,042
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $33,874

Closest to North Carolina states to learn Development Studies

State	Universities Unis	Best university country rank Best uni rank
South Carolina	20	63
Virginia	29	42
West Virginia	9	102
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	68
New Jersey	21	25
Indiana	26	41
Florida	37	32
Connecticut	20	12
Illinois	53	10
New York	109	6
Mississippi	10	182
Rhode Island	9	45
Massachusetts	58	1
Michigan	25	2
Arkansas	13	141
Vermont	7	129
Missouri	24	47
New Hampshire	10	61
Louisiana	21	92
Wisconsin	27	14
Iowa	15	43
Maine	9	234
Oklahoma	13	117
Kansas	9	73
Minnesota	24	13
Nebraska	9	93
Texas	63	26
South Dakota	8	329
North Dakota	5	231
Colorado	17	51
Puerto Rico	9	574
New Mexico	6	89
Montana	4	185
Utah	9	44
Arizona	7	28
Idaho	4	221
Nevada	5	147
Oregon	17	66
California	98	4
Washington	20	5
Alaska	3	308
Hawaii	5	106

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