41 Best 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 Engineering. A graph of 12.4M citations received by 327K academic papers made by 41 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. North Carolina State University at Raleigh

Raleigh

For Engineering

#35 in the United States

#39 in North America

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

2. Duke University

Durham

For Engineering

#41 in the United States

#46 in North America

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

3. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill

For Engineering

#44 in the United States

#49 in North America

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

4. Wake Forest University

Winston-Salem

For Engineering

#130 in the United States

#154 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 Engineering

#158 in the United States

#186 in North America

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

6. East Carolina University

Greenville

For Engineering

#198 in the United States

#228 in North America

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

7. North Carolina A&T State University

Greensboro

For Engineering

#239 in the United States

#272 in North America

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

8. University of North Carolina at Greensboro

Greensboro

For Engineering

#253 in the United States

#288 in North America

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

9. University of North Carolina Wilmington

Wilmington

For Engineering

#310 in the United States

#351 in North America

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

10. Appalachian State University

Boone

For Engineering

#337 in the United States

#380 in North America

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

11. North Carolina Central University

Durham

For Engineering

#474 in the United States

#527 in North America

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

12. Western Carolina University

Cullowhee

For Engineering

#479 in the United States

#532 in North America

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

13. Davidson College

Davidson

For Engineering

#540 in the United States

#594 in North America

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

14. Elon University

Elon

For Engineering

#576 in the United States

#631 in North America

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

15. University of North Carolina at Asheville

Asheville

For Engineering

#613 in the United States

#668 in North America

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

16. University of North Carolina at Pembroke

Pembroke

For Engineering

#619 in the United States

#674 in North America

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

17. St. Andrews University

Laurinburg

For Engineering

#645 in the United States

#705 in North America

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

18. Winston-Salem State University

Winston-Salem

For Engineering

#652 in the United States

#713 in North America

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

19. Fayetteville State University

Fayetteville

For Engineering

#688 in the United States

#750 in North America

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

20. Queens University of Charlotte

Charlotte

For Engineering

#772 in the United States

#836 in North America

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

21. Campbell University

Buies Creek

For Engineering

#825 in the United States

#889 in North America

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

22. High Point University

High Point

For Engineering

#849 in the United States

#916 in North America

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

23. Methodist University

Fayetteville

For Engineering

#924 in the United States

#992 in North America

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

24. Greensboro College

Greensboro

For Engineering

#944 in the United States

#1013 in North America

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

25. Guilford College

Greensboro

For Engineering

#974 in the United States

#1043 in North America

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

26. Meredith College

Raleigh

For Engineering

#1012 in the United States

#1083 in North America

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

27. Elizabeth City State University

Elizabeth City

For Engineering

#1026 in the United States

#1097 in North America

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

28. Piedmont International University

Winston-Salem

For Engineering

#1027 in the United States

#1098 in North America

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

29. Wingate University

Wingate

For Engineering

#1060 in the United States

#1131 in North America

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

30. Pfeiffer University

Misenheimer

For Engineering

#1135 in the United States

#1210 in North America

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

31. Johnson C Smith University

Charlotte

For Engineering

#1149 in the United States

#1225 in North America

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

32. Salem College

Winston-Salem

For Engineering

#1259 in the United States

#1337 in North America

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

33. University of Mount Olive

Mount Olive

For Engineering

#1275 in the United States

#1353 in North America

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

34. Gardner-Webb University

Boiling Springs

For Engineering

#1304 in the United States

#1382 in North America

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

35. Warren Wilson College

Swannanoa

For Engineering

#1346 in the United States

#1425 in North America

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

36. Catawba College

Salisbury

For Engineering

#1363 in the United States

#1442 in North America

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

37. Bennett College

Greensboro

For Engineering

#1368 in the United States

#1447 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 51%
Average SAT: 940
Net Price: $26,990
Receiving Aid: 96%

38. Lenoir-Rhyne University

Hickory

For Engineering

#1409 in the United States

#1489 in North America

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

39. Shaw University

Raleigh

For Engineering

#1444 in the United States

#1526 in North America

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

40. Livingstone College

Salisbury

For Engineering

#1481 in the United States

#1563 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 59%
Net Price: $12,826
Receiving Aid: 99%
Average Aid: $15,485

41. Mars Hill University

Mars Hill

For Engineering

#1512 in the United States

#1597 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 68%
Net Price: $18,925
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $31,066

Closest to North Carolina states to learn Engineering

State	Universities Unis	Best university country rank Best uni rank
South Carolina	28	82
Virginia	42	33
West Virginia	20	111
Georgia	47	10
District of Columbia	10	102
Maryland	27	18
Kentucky	25	71
Tennessee	34	55
Delaware	3	59
Ohio	60	22
Pennsylvania	104	12
Alabama	26	91
New Jersey	28	19
Indiana	32	17
Florida	59	27
Connecticut	20	29
Illinois	70	6
New York	137	8
Mississippi	14	123
Rhode Island	9	64
Massachusetts	69	2
Michigan	36	5
Arkansas	18	119
Vermont	13	137
Missouri	36	49
New Hampshire	11	99
Louisiana	24	79
Wisconsin	32	13
Iowa	29	42
Maine	14	181
Oklahoma	20	94
Kansas	13	96
Minnesota	27	15
Nebraska	12	76
Texas	76	11
South Dakota	8	228
North Dakota	8	166
Colorado	21	36
Puerto Rico	15	276
New Mexico	9	88
Montana	8	157
Utah	12	45
Arizona	10	32
Idaho	7	152
Nevada	8	132
Oregon	17	72
California	134	1
Washington	31	7
Alaska	4	184
Hawaii	7	121