38 Best colleges for Ecology 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 Ecology. A graph of 6.05M citations received by 133K academic papers made by 38 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 Ecology

#21 in the United States

#23 in North America

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

2. Duke University

Durham

For Ecology

#28 in the United States

#31 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 Ecology

#35 in the United States

#39 in North America

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

4. Wake Forest University

Winston-Salem

For Ecology

#156 in the United States

#183 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 Ecology

#165 in the United States

#194 in North America

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

6. East Carolina University

Greenville

For Ecology

#170 in the United States

#200 in North America

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

7. University of North Carolina Wilmington

Wilmington

For Ecology

#195 in the United States

#227 in North America

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

8. University of North Carolina at Greensboro

Greensboro

For Ecology

#202 in the United States

#235 in North America

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

9. Appalachian State University

Boone

For Ecology

#262 in the United States

#302 in North America

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

10. North Carolina A&T State University

Greensboro

For Ecology

#271 in the United States

#313 in North America

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

11. Western Carolina University

Cullowhee

For Ecology

#386 in the United States

#438 in North America

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

12. Davidson College

Davidson

For Ecology

#535 in the United States

#591 in North America

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

13. University of North Carolina at Asheville

Asheville

For Ecology

#545 in the United States

#602 in North America

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

14. Elon University

Elon

For Ecology

#553 in the United States

#610 in North America

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

15. University of North Carolina at Pembroke

Pembroke

For Ecology

#615 in the United States

#676 in North America

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

16. Fayetteville State University

Fayetteville

For Ecology

#697 in the United States

#763 in North America

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

17. North Carolina Central University

Durham

For Ecology

#700 in the United States

#766 in North America

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

18. High Point University

High Point

For Ecology

#785 in the United States

#853 in North America

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

19. St. Andrews University

Laurinburg

For Ecology

#813 in the United States

#882 in North America

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

20. Winston-Salem State University

Winston-Salem

For Ecology

#816 in the United States

#885 in North America

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

21. Campbell University

Buies Creek

For Ecology

#825 in the United States

#894 in North America

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

22. Queens University of Charlotte

Charlotte

For Ecology

#895 in the United States

#966 in North America

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

23. Methodist University

Fayetteville

For Ecology

#942 in the United States

#1013 in North America

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

24. Warren Wilson College

Swannanoa

For Ecology

#972 in the United States

#1043 in North America

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

25. Guilford College

Greensboro

For Ecology

#1002 in the United States

#1075 in North America

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

26. Wingate University

Wingate

For Ecology

#1021 in the United States

#1094 in North America

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

27. Elizabeth City State University

Elizabeth City

For Ecology

#1025 in the United States

#1099 in North America

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

28. Piedmont International University

Winston-Salem

For Ecology

#1083 in the United States

#1158 in North America

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

29. Mars Hill University

Mars Hill

For Ecology

#1134 in the United States

#1211 in North America

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

30. Meredith College

Raleigh

For Ecology

#1138 in the United States

#1215 in North America

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

31. Greensboro College

Greensboro

For Ecology

#1189 in the United States

#1267 in North America

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

32. Johnson C Smith University

Charlotte

For Ecology

#1203 in the United States

#1281 in North America

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

33. University of Mount Olive

Mount Olive

For Ecology

#1206 in the United States

#1284 in North America

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

34. Gardner-Webb University

Boiling Springs

For Ecology

#1215 in the United States

#1293 in North America

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

35. Salem College

Winston-Salem

For Ecology

#1218 in the United States

#1296 in North America

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

36. Shaw University

Raleigh

For Ecology

#1238 in the United States

#1317 in North America

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

37. Catawba College

Salisbury

For Ecology

#1281 in the United States

#1363 in North America

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

38. Lenoir-Rhyne University

Hickory

For Ecology

#1287 in the United States

#1369 in North America

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

Closest to North Carolina states to learn Ecology

State	Universities Unis	Best university country rank Best uni rank
South Carolina	22	84
Virginia	39	39
West Virginia	16	111
Georgia	36	20
District of Columbia	8	106
Maryland	25	23
Kentucky	16	59
Tennessee	27	48
Delaware	3	69
Ohio	51	15
Pennsylvania	84	13
Alabama	22	68
New Jersey	21	31
Indiana	28	30
Florida	44	6
Connecticut	20	16
Illinois	56	11
New York	114	3
Mississippi	12	87
Rhode Island	9	80
Massachusetts	60	2
Michigan	30	8
Arkansas	16	102
Vermont	8	107
Missouri	29	57
New Hampshire	11	95
Louisiana	22	58
Wisconsin	27	9
Iowa	20	29
Maine	15	98
Oklahoma	16	78
Kansas	11	56
Minnesota	26	10
Nebraska	12	43
Texas	68	17
South Dakota	8	145
North Dakota	6	131
Colorado	18	26
Puerto Rico	11	252
New Mexico	8	77
Montana	8	83
Utah	10	50
Arizona	8	19
Idaho	7	92
Nevada	7	109
Oregon	16	24
California	108	1
Washington	26	5
Alaska	4	76
Hawaii	7	70