20 Best Aerospace Engineering 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 Aerospace Engineering. A graph of 1.21M citations received by 34.6K academic papers made by 20 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 Aerospace Engineering

#30 in the United States

#32 in North America

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

2. North Carolina State University at Raleigh

Raleigh

For Aerospace Engineering

#36 in the United States

#40 in North America

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

3. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill

For Aerospace Engineering

#57 in the United States

#65 in North America

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

4. Wake Forest University

Winston-Salem

For Aerospace Engineering

#110 in the United States

#128 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 Aerospace Engineering

#174 in the United States

#203 in North America

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

6. East Carolina University

Greenville

For Aerospace Engineering

#228 in the United States

#259 in North America

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

7. North Carolina A&T State University

Greensboro

For Aerospace Engineering

#234 in the United States

#265 in North America

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

8. University of North Carolina at Greensboro

Greensboro

For Aerospace Engineering

#328 in the United States

#372 in North America

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

9. University of North Carolina Wilmington

Wilmington

For Aerospace Engineering

#347 in the United States

#391 in North America

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

10. Appalachian State University

Boone

For Aerospace Engineering

#373 in the United States

#417 in North America

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

11. Western Carolina University

Cullowhee

For Aerospace Engineering

#461 in the United States

#514 in North America

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

12. Elon University

Elon

For Aerospace Engineering

#506 in the United States

#559 in North America

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

13. Davidson College

Davidson

For Aerospace Engineering

#575 in the United States

#628 in North America

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

14. North Carolina Central University

Durham

For Aerospace Engineering

#583 in the United States

#636 in North America

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

15. University of North Carolina at Asheville

Asheville

For Aerospace Engineering

#629 in the United States

#687 in North America

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

16. University of North Carolina at Pembroke

Pembroke

For Aerospace Engineering

#688 in the United States

#748 in North America

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

17. Campbell University

Buies Creek

For Aerospace Engineering

#698 in the United States

#759 in North America

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

18. St. Andrews University

Laurinburg

For Aerospace Engineering

#700 in the United States

#761 in North America

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

19. High Point University

High Point

For Aerospace Engineering

#774 in the United States

#838 in North America

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

20. Elizabeth City State University

Elizabeth City

For Aerospace Engineering

#789 in the United States

#853 in North America

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

Closest to North Carolina states to learn Aerospace Engineering

State	Universities Unis	Best university country rank Best uni rank
South Carolina	11	84
Virginia	23	23
West Virginia	5	95
Georgia	19	8
District of Columbia	7	97
Maryland	16	11
Kentucky	8	78
Tennessee	20	55
Ohio	31	20
Pennsylvania	52	9
Alabama	13	79
New Jersey	17	13
Indiana	20	15
Florida	28	24
Connecticut	16	34
Illinois	30	7
New York	80	14
Mississippi	6	109
Rhode Island	5	49
Massachusetts	39	2
Michigan	19	3
Arkansas	8	180
Vermont	3	128
Missouri	14	56
New Hampshire	6	118
Louisiana	14	59
Wisconsin	18	19
Iowa	6	39
Maine	8	182
Oklahoma	8	61
Kansas	8	77
Minnesota	17	16
Nebraska	7	88
Texas	49	17
South Dakota	6	220
North Dakota	3	190
Colorado	12	26
Puerto Rico	5	273
New Mexico	3	98
Montana	3	161
Utah	6	50
Arizona	5	27
Idaho	4	147
Oregon	12	69
California	63	1
Washington	14	12
Alaska	3	163
Hawaii	3	117