40 Best Engineering schools in North Carolina

Updated: February 29, 2024

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 8.83M citations received by 283K academic papers made by 40 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

#34 in the United States

#38 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 47%
Average SAT: 1370
Average ACT: 31
Receiving Aid: 80%

2. Duke University

Durham

For Engineering

#43 in the United States

#48 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 6%
Average SAT: 1530
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $23,694

3. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill

For Engineering

#46 in the United States

#51 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 17%
Average SAT: 1440
Average ACT: 32
Receiving Aid: 59%

4. Wake Forest University

Winston-Salem

For Engineering

#131 in the United States

#154 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 21%
Net Price: $26,197
Receiving Aid: 37%
Average Aid: $54,233

5. University of North Carolina at Charlotte

Charlotte

For Engineering

#162 in the United States

#190 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 80%
Average SAT: 1180
Average ACT: 24
Receiving Aid: 75%

6. East Carolina University

Greenville

For Engineering

#204 in the United States

#234 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 92%
Receiving Aid: 80%
Average Aid: $9,020
Enrollment: 27,151

7. North Carolina A&T State University

Greensboro

For Engineering

#247 in the United States

#281 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 56%
Average SAT: 1050
Average ACT: 20
Receiving Aid: 97%

8. University of North Carolina at Greensboro

Greensboro

For Engineering

#259 in the United States

#294 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 92%
Average SAT: 1195
Average ACT: 25
Receiving Aid: 91%

9. University of North Carolina Wilmington

Wilmington

For Engineering

#311 in the United States

#352 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 69%
Average SAT: 1295
Average ACT: 27
Receiving Aid: 74%

10. Appalachian State University

Boone

For Engineering

#333 in the United States

#378 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 83%
Average SAT: 1185
Average ACT: 24
Receiving Aid: 70%

11. North Carolina Central University

Durham

For Engineering

#467 in the United States

#520 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 84%
Average SAT: 970
Average ACT: 19
Receiving Aid: 96%

12. Western Carolina University

Cullowhee

For Engineering

#481 in the United States

#534 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 85%
Average SAT: 1130
Average ACT: 23
Receiving Aid: 100%

13. Davidson College

Davidson

For Engineering

#536 in the United States

#590 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 17%
Average SAT: 1425
Average ACT: 32
Net Price: $26,704

14. Elon University

Elon

For Engineering

#570 in the United States

#625 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 74%
Average SAT: 1265
Average ACT: 28
Net Price: $41,527

15. University of North Carolina at Asheville

Asheville

For Engineering

#595 in the United States

#650 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 74%
Average SAT: 1243
Average ACT: 25
Receiving Aid: 94%

16. St. Andrews University

Laurinburg

For Engineering

#608 in the United States

#663 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 65%
Net Price: $31,864
Receiving Aid: 98%
Average Aid: $17,026

17. Winston-Salem State University

Winston-Salem

For Engineering

#635 in the United States

#692 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 73%
Average SAT: 940
Average ACT: 17
Receiving Aid: 95%

18. University of North Carolina at Pembroke

Pembroke

For Engineering

#666 in the United States

#726 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 90%
Receiving Aid: 91%
Average Aid: $6,619
Enrollment: 7,666

19. Fayetteville State University

Fayetteville

For Engineering

#690 in the United States

#750 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 81%
Average SAT: 965
Average ACT: 17
Receiving Aid: 91%

20. Queens University of Charlotte

Charlotte

For Engineering

#784 in the United States

#848 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 71%
Average SAT: 1168
Average ACT: 26
Net Price: $29,459

21. Campbell University

Buies Creek

For Engineering

#822 in the United States

#888 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 89%
Net Price: $24,280
Receiving Aid: 98%
Average Aid: $33,425

22. High Point University

High Point

For Engineering

#845 in the United States

#911 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 79%
Average SAT: 1192
Average ACT: 26
Net Price: $40,221

23. Guilford College

Greensboro

For Engineering

#923 in the United States

#991 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 84%
Average SAT: 1045
Average ACT: 22
Net Price: $23,882

24. Greensboro College

Greensboro

For Engineering

#963 in the United States

#1032 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 84%
Net Price: $19,581
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $15,283

25. Elizabeth City State University

Elizabeth City

For Engineering

#1012 in the United States

#1083 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 74%
Average SAT: 960
Average ACT: 19
Receiving Aid: 97%

26. Methodist University

Fayetteville

For Engineering

#1013 in the United States

#1084 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 76%
Average SAT: 1132
Average ACT: 25
Net Price: $28,129

27. Piedmont International University

Winston-Salem

For Engineering

#1060 in the United States

#1131 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 52%
Net Price: $16,731
Receiving Aid: 97%
Average Aid: $10,437

28. Wingate University

Wingate

For Engineering

#1068 in the United States

#1139 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 86%
Average SAT: 1080
Average ACT: 21
Net Price: $18,823

29. Johnson C Smith University

Charlotte

For Engineering

#1155 in the United States

#1230 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 25%
Net Price: $20,045
Receiving Aid: 99%
Average Aid: $12,911

30. University of Mount Olive

Mount Olive

For Engineering

#1198 in the United States

#1274 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 75%
Net Price: $17,878
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $16,371

31. Pfeiffer University

Misenheimer

For Engineering

#1219 in the United States

#1295 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 69%
Average ACT: 18
Net Price: $21,575
Receiving Aid: 100%

32. Meredith College

Raleigh

For Engineering

#1242 in the United States

#1318 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 73%
Average SAT: 1230
Average ACT: 25
Net Price: $23,259

33. Bennett College

Greensboro

For Engineering

#1254 in the United States

#1331 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 45%
Net Price: $20,545
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $14,996

34. Gardner-Webb University

Boiling Springs

For Engineering

#1264 in the United States

#1341 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 75%
Average SAT: 1115
Average ACT: 23
Net Price: $22,339

35. Salem College

Winston-Salem

For Engineering

#1283 in the United States

#1360 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 87%
Net Price: $18,354
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $30,048

36. Lenoir-Rhyne University

Hickory

For Engineering

#1286 in the United States

#1363 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 83%
Net Price: $21,843
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $35,641

37. Catawba College

Salisbury

For Engineering

#1369 in the United States

#1449 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 67%
Average SAT: 1105
Average ACT: 23
Net Price: $19,701

38. Warren Wilson College

Swannanoa

For Engineering

#1379 in the United States

#1459 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 84%
Average ACT: 28
Net Price: $28,086
Receiving Aid: 100%

39. Shaw University

Raleigh

For Engineering

#1384 in the United States

#1465 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 61%
Net Price: $14,204
Receiving Aid: 89%
Average Aid: $15,548

40. Mars Hill University

Mars Hill

For Engineering

#1454 in the United States

#1536 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 74%
Net Price: $17,721
Receiving Aid: 99%
Average Aid: $28,916

Closest to North Carolina states to learn Engineering

State	Universities Unis	Best university country rank Best uni rank
South Carolina	27	82
Virginia	41	33
West Virginia	18	112
Georgia	43	7
District of Columbia	10	106
Maryland	26	16
Kentucky	25	69
Tennessee	32	55
Delaware	3	58
Ohio	57	20
Pennsylvania	100	11
Alabama	24	92
New Jersey	27	17
Indiana	31	25
Florida	55	27
Connecticut	20	31
Illinois	68	6
New York	136	9
Mississippi	14	127
Rhode Island	9	65
Massachusetts	69	1
Michigan	36	5
Arkansas	17	122
Vermont	13	139
Missouri	33	50
New Hampshire	11	102
Louisiana	24	78
Wisconsin	31	13
Iowa	26	36
Maine	14	183
Oklahoma	18	94
Kansas	13	99
Minnesota	27	15
Nebraska	12	76
Texas	75	12
South Dakota	8	231
North Dakota	8	163
Colorado	21	37
Puerto Rico	14	278
New Mexico	9	86
Montana	8	156
Utah	11	42
Arizona	10	32
Idaho	7	149
Nevada	6	135
Oregon	17	74
California	129	2
Washington	31	8
Alaska	4	188
Hawaii	7	121