39 Best colleges for Economics 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 Economics. A graph of 4.48M citations received by 121K academic papers made by 39 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

#16 in the United States

#17 in North America

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

2. Duke University

Durham

For Economics

#21 in the United States

#23 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 Economics

#58 in the United States

#67 in North America

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

4. Wake Forest University

Winston-Salem

For Economics

#130 in the United States

#152 in North America

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

5. University of North Carolina at Charlotte

Charlotte

For Economics

#135 in the United States

#157 in North America

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

6. University of North Carolina at Greensboro

Greensboro

For Economics

#144 in the United States

#167 in North America

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

7. East Carolina University

Greenville

For Economics

#147 in the United States

#171 in North America

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

8. Appalachian State University

Boone

For Economics

#244 in the United States

#275 in North America

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

9. University of North Carolina Wilmington

Wilmington

For Economics

#263 in the United States

#295 in North America

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

10. Davidson College

Davidson

For Economics

#352 in the United States

#391 in North America

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

11. North Carolina A&T State University

Greensboro

For Economics

#376 in the United States

#416 in North America

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

12. Western Carolina University

Cullowhee

For Economics

#385 in the United States

#426 in North America

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

13. Elon University

Elon

For Economics

#391 in the United States

#433 in North America

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

14. Fayetteville State University

Fayetteville

For Economics

#485 in the United States

#534 in North America

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

15. University of North Carolina at Pembroke

Pembroke

For Economics

#512 in the United States

#563 in North America

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

16. Winston-Salem State University

Winston-Salem

For Economics

#546 in the United States

#599 in North America

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

17. North Carolina Central University

Durham

For Economics

#592 in the United States

#648 in North America

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

18. Queens University of Charlotte

Charlotte

For Economics

#594 in the United States

#650 in North America

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

19. St. Andrews University

Laurinburg

For Economics

#619 in the United States

#676 in North America

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

20. Campbell University

Buies Creek

For Economics

#711 in the United States

#773 in North America

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

21. University of North Carolina at Asheville

Asheville

For Economics

#727 in the United States

#791 in North America

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

22. Methodist University

Fayetteville

For Economics

#789 in the United States

#858 in North America

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

23. Piedmont International University

Winston-Salem

For Economics

#796 in the United States

#865 in North America

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

24. High Point University

High Point

For Economics

#881 in the United States

#952 in North America

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

25. Wingate University

Wingate

For Economics

#901 in the United States

#972 in North America

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

26. Pfeiffer University

Misenheimer

For Economics

#928 in the United States

#999 in North America

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

27. Guilford College

Greensboro

For Economics

#955 in the United States

#1027 in North America

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

28. Meredith College

Raleigh

For Economics

#1021 in the United States

#1095 in North America

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

29. Gardner-Webb University

Boiling Springs

For Economics

#1025 in the United States

#1099 in North America

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

30. Elizabeth City State University

Elizabeth City

For Economics

#1041 in the United States

#1116 in North America

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

31. Greensboro College

Greensboro

For Economics

#1063 in the United States

#1138 in North America

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

32. Shaw University

Raleigh

For Economics

#1127 in the United States

#1203 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 80%
Net Price: $16,445
Receiving Aid: 98%
Average Aid: $14,417

33. Johnson C Smith University

Charlotte

For Economics

#1132 in the United States

#1208 in North America

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

34. Warren Wilson College

Swannanoa

For Economics

#1154 in the United States

#1231 in North America

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

35. Lenoir-Rhyne University

Hickory

For Economics

#1266 in the United States

#1344 in North America

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

36. William Peace University

Raleigh

For Economics

#1278 in the United States

#1358 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 94%
Average SAT: 1153
Average ACT: 25
Net Price: $24,216

37. University of Mount Olive

Mount Olive

For Economics

#1283 in the United States

#1363 in North America

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

38. Catawba College

Salisbury

For Economics

#1313 in the United States

#1395 in North America

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

39. Salem College

Winston-Salem

For Economics

#1339 in the United States

#1422 in North America

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

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	12
Kentucky	23	68
Tennessee	28	46
Ohio	54	19
Pennsylvania	96	6
Alabama	22	90
New Jersey	24	18
Indiana	29	39
Florida	48	30
Connecticut	20	10
Illinois	58	5
New York	123	7
Mississippi	12	173
Rhode Island	9	56
Massachusetts	63	1
Michigan	33	3
Arkansas	16	133
Vermont	8	134
Missouri	33	41
New Hampshire	11	57
Louisiana	23	83
Wisconsin	30	15
Iowa	24	49
Maine	9	240
Oklahoma	15	100
Kansas	11	78
Minnesota	27	17
Nebraska	12	95
Texas	69	23
South Dakota	8	324
North Dakota	5	210
Colorado	18	61
Puerto Rico	10	572
New Mexico	7	105
Montana	5	201
Utah	10	52
Arizona	7	29
Idaho	7	232
Nevada	5	151
Oregon	17	99
California	109	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