38 Best colleges for Economics 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 Economics. A graph of 4.25M citations received by 118K academic papers made by 38 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 Economics

#17 in the United States

#18 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 19%
Average SAT: 1450
Average ACT: 32
Receiving Aid: 58%

2. Duke University

Durham

For Economics

#21 in the United States

#23 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 Economics

#57 in the United States

#66 in North America

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

4. Wake Forest University

Winston-Salem

For Economics

#130 in the United States

#152 in North America

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

5. University of North Carolina at Charlotte

Charlotte

For Economics

#135 in the United States

#157 in North America

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

6. University of North Carolina at Greensboro

Greensboro

For Economics

#145 in the United States

#168 in North America

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

7. East Carolina University

Greenville

For Economics

#146 in the United States

#170 in North America

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

8. Appalachian State University

Boone

For Economics

#245 in the United States

#276 in North America

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

9. University of North Carolina Wilmington

Wilmington

For Economics

#264 in the United States

#296 in North America

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

10. Davidson College

Davidson

For Economics

#353 in the United States

#392 in North America

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

11. North Carolina A&T State University

Greensboro

For Economics

#379 in the United States

#419 in North America

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

12. Western Carolina University

Cullowhee

For Economics

#385 in the United States

#426 in North America

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

13. Elon University

Elon

For Economics

#397 in the United States

#439 in North America

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

14. Fayetteville State University

Fayetteville

For Economics

#480 in the United States

#529 in North America

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

15. University of North Carolina at Pembroke

Pembroke

For Economics

#509 in the United States

#560 in North America

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

16. Winston-Salem State University

Winston-Salem

For Economics

#551 in the United States

#604 in North America

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

17. Queens University of Charlotte

Charlotte

For Economics

#592 in the United States

#648 in North America

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

18. North Carolina Central University

Durham

For Economics

#599 in the United States

#655 in North America

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

19. St. Andrews University

Laurinburg

For Economics

#636 in the United States

#695 in North America

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

20. Campbell University

Buies Creek

For Economics

#724 in the United States

#788 in North America

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

21. University of North Carolina at Asheville

Asheville

For Economics

#726 in the United States

#790 in North America

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

22. Methodist University

Fayetteville

For Economics

#785 in the United States

#854 in North America

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

23. Piedmont International University

Winston-Salem

For Economics

#792 in the United States

#861 in North America

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

24. Wingate University

Wingate

For Economics

#900 in the United States

#971 in North America

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

25. High Point University

High Point

For Economics

#905 in the United States

#976 in North America

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

26. Pfeiffer University

Misenheimer

For Economics

#933 in the United States

#1004 in North America

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

27. Guilford College

Greensboro

For Economics

#947 in the United States

#1018 in North America

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

28. Gardner-Webb University

Boiling Springs

For Economics

#1020 in the United States

#1094 in North America

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

29. Meredith College

Raleigh

For Economics

#1023 in the United States

#1097 in North America

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

30. Elizabeth City State University

Elizabeth City

For Economics

#1042 in the United States

#1117 in North America

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

31. Greensboro College

Greensboro

For Economics

#1061 in the United States

#1136 in North America

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

32. Shaw University

Raleigh

For Economics

#1127 in the United States

#1202 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Net Price: $14,111
Receiving Aid: 99%
Average Aid: $15,568

33. Johnson C Smith University

Charlotte

For Economics

#1133 in the United States

#1209 in North America

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

34. Warren Wilson College

Swannanoa

For Economics

#1154 in the United States

#1230 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 78%
Average ACT: 28
Net Price: $27,913
Receiving Aid: 99%

35. Lenoir-Rhyne University

Hickory

For Economics

#1266 in the United States

#1344 in North America

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

36. University of Mount Olive

Mount Olive

For Economics

#1280 in the United States

#1359 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 78%
Average ACT: 20
Net Price: $17,893
Receiving Aid: 100%

37. Catawba College

Salisbury

For Economics

#1317 in the United States

#1399 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 78%
Average SAT: 1098
Average ACT: 23
Net Price: $18,319

38. Salem College

Winston-Salem

For Economics

#1338 in the United States

#1421 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 87%
Average SAT: 1197
Average ACT: 23
Net Price: $19,000

Closest to North Carolina states to learn Economics

State	Universities Unis	Best university country rank Best uni rank
South Carolina	23	67
Virginia	39	38
West Virginia	14	116
Georgia	36	43
District of Columbia	9	44
Maryland	25	14
Kentucky	22	68
Tennessee	28	47
Ohio	54	19
Pennsylvania	96	6
Alabama	22	90
New Jersey	24	16
Indiana	29	39
Florida	48	30
Connecticut	20	10
Illinois	58	5
New York	123	7
Mississippi	12	172
Rhode Island	9	58
Massachusetts	63	1
Michigan	33	3
Arkansas	16	133
Vermont	8	134
Missouri	31	42
New Hampshire	11	56
Louisiana	23	83
Wisconsin	30	15
Iowa	24	49
Maine	9	240
Oklahoma	15	100
Kansas	11	79
Minnesota	27	18
Nebraska	12	94
Texas	69	25
South Dakota	8	322
North Dakota	5	211
Colorado	18	62
Puerto Rico	10	574
New Mexico	7	102
Montana	5	201
Utah	10	52
Arizona	7	29
Idaho	7	230
Nevada	5	153
Oregon	17	98
California	107	2
Washington	23	8
Alaska	4	282
Hawaii	6	122

Economics subfields in North Carolina

Actuarial Science9

Agricultural Economics7

Development Studies33

Econometrics and Mathematical Economics17

Environmental Economics8

Finance26

International Economics9

International Relations and Diplomacy10

International Trade11

Investment Banking and Stock trading12

Political Economy14