24 Best colleges for Optical Engineering 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 Optical Engineering. A graph of 2.78M citations received by 77K academic papers made by 24 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 Optical Engineering

#33 in the United States

#34 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 7%
Average SAT: 1540
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $23,422

2. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill

For Optical Engineering

#47 in the United States

#52 in North America

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

3. North Carolina State University at Raleigh

Raleigh

For Optical Engineering

#50 in the United States

#55 in North America

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

4. Wake Forest University

Winston-Salem

For Optical Engineering

#131 in the United States

#154 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 Optical Engineering

#151 in the United States

#174 in North America

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

6. East Carolina University

Greenville

For Optical Engineering

#215 in the United States

#244 in North America

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

7. North Carolina A&T State University

Greensboro

For Optical Engineering

#270 in the United States

#305 in North America

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

8. University of North Carolina at Greensboro

Greensboro

For Optical Engineering

#302 in the United States

#341 in North America

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

9. University of North Carolina Wilmington

Wilmington

For Optical Engineering

#367 in the United States

#414 in North America

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

10. Appalachian State University

Boone

For Optical Engineering

#393 in the United States

#440 in North America

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

11. North Carolina Central University

Durham

For Optical Engineering

#431 in the United States

#481 in North America

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

12. Western Carolina University

Cullowhee

For Optical Engineering

#485 in the United States

#538 in North America

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

13. Davidson College

Davidson

For Optical Engineering

#511 in the United States

#565 in North America

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

14. St. Andrews University

Laurinburg

For Optical Engineering

#542 in the United States

#596 in North America

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

15. University of North Carolina at Asheville

Asheville

For Optical Engineering

#582 in the United States

#636 in North America

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

16. Winston-Salem State University

Winston-Salem

For Optical Engineering

#607 in the United States

#663 in North America

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

17. Elon University

Elon

For Optical Engineering

#628 in the United States

#684 in North America

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

18. Fayetteville State University

Fayetteville

For Optical Engineering

#671 in the United States

#728 in North America

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

19. Queens University of Charlotte

Charlotte

For Optical Engineering

#712 in the United States

#773 in North America

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

20. Campbell University

Buies Creek

For Optical Engineering

#733 in the United States

#795 in North America

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

21. University of North Carolina at Pembroke

Pembroke

For Optical Engineering

#753 in the United States

#815 in North America

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

22. Guilford College

Greensboro

For Optical Engineering

#828 in the United States

#891 in North America

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

23. Elizabeth City State University

Elizabeth City

For Optical Engineering

#833 in the United States

#897 in North America

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

24. High Point University

High Point

For Optical Engineering

#869 in the United States

#934 in North America

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

Closest to North Carolina states to learn Optical Engineering

State	Universities Unis	Best university country rank Best uni rank
South Carolina	15	81
Virginia	30	51
West Virginia	7	118
Georgia	26	15
District of Columbia	8	94
Maryland	21	11
Kentucky	12	83
Tennessee	25	65
Ohio	40	27
Pennsylvania	68	18
Alabama	19	88
New Jersey	18	14
Indiana	22	23
Florida	31	30
Connecticut	18	29
Illinois	40	8
New York	92	9
Mississippi	9	137
Rhode Island	6	59
Massachusetts	50	2
Michigan	26	5
Arkansas	11	114
Vermont	4	147
Missouri	18	48
New Hampshire	7	95
Louisiana	19	78
Wisconsin	23	16
Iowa	11	45
Maine	7	184
Oklahoma	11	96
Kansas	9	98
Minnesota	19	25
Nebraska	7	86
Texas	55	13
South Dakota	7	246
North Dakota	3	195
Colorado	16	32
Puerto Rico	9	264
New Mexico	6	70
Montana	3	146
Utah	7	36
Arizona	5	20
Idaho	4	167
Oregon	15	85
California	79	1
Washington	17	10
Alaska	3	201
Hawaii	4	125