List of 65 best universities in North Carolina

Updated: March 02, 2025

Ranking by academic field

Top 65 universities in North Carolina ranked by EduRank based on research outputs, non-academic prominence, and alumni influence. The rankings are determined by analyzing 34.2M citations received by 908K academic publications made by 65 universities from North Carolina, the popularity of 3,246 recognized alumni, and the largest reference database available.

1. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill

#24 in the United States

#26 in North America

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

2. Duke University

Durham

#27 in the United States

#29 in North America

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

3. North Carolina State University at Raleigh

Raleigh

#46 in the United States

#50 in North America

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

4. Wake Forest University

Winston-Salem

#115 in the United States

#132 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Average SAT: 1450
Average ACT: 33
Net Price: $27,790

5. East Carolina University

Greenville

#165 in the United States

#190 in North America

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

6. University of North Carolina at Charlotte

Charlotte

#176 in the United States

#201 in North America

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

7. University of North Carolina at Greensboro

Greensboro

#197 in the United States

#223 in North America

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

8. Appalachian State University

Boone

#257 in the United States

#288 in North America

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

9. University of North Carolina Wilmington

Wilmington

#292 in the United States

#323 in North America

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

10. North Carolina A&T State University

Greensboro

#322 in the United States

#358 in North America

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

11. Davidson College

Davidson

#358 in the United States

#397 in North America

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

12. Western Carolina University

Cullowhee

#389 in the United States

#430 in North America

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

13. Elon University

Elon

#413 in the United States

#459 in North America

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

14. North Carolina Central University

Durham

#441 in the United States

#487 in North America

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

15. University of North Carolina at Asheville

Asheville

#546 in the United States

#599 in North America

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

16. Campbell University

Buies Creek

#575 in the United States

#631 in North America

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

17. University of North Carolina at Pembroke

Pembroke

#598 in the United States

#655 in North America

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

18. High Point University

High Point

#631 in the United States

#689 in North America

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

19. Fayetteville State University

Fayetteville

#633 in the United States

#693 in North America

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

20. Queens University of Charlotte

Charlotte

#635 in the United States

#695 in North America

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

21. Winston-Salem State University

Winston-Salem

#646 in the United States

#706 in North America

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

22. Guilford College

Greensboro

#875 in the United States

#943 in North America

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

23. Meredith College

Raleigh

#1000 in the United States

#1071 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 75%
Average SAT: 1185
Average ACT: 27
Net Price: $23,405

24. Elizabeth City State University

Elizabeth City

#1066 in the United States

#1139 in North America

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

25. Wingate University

Wingate

#1072 in the United States

#1145 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 85%
Average SAT: 1130
Average ACT: 21
Net Price: $21,464

26. Gardner-Webb University

Boiling Springs

#1087 in the United States

#1160 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 87%
Average SAT: 1150
Average ACT: 23
Net Price: $24,035

27. Methodist University

Fayetteville

#1099 in the United States

#1173 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 75%
Average SAT: 1165
Average ACT: 24
Net Price: $25,786

28. Warren Wilson College

Swannanoa

#1143 in the United States

#1219 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 78%
Average ACT: 28
Net Price: $27,913
Receiving Aid: 99%

29. Johnson C Smith University

Charlotte

#1154 in the United States

#1230 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 43%
Net Price: $19,326
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $14,883

30. St. Andrews University

Laurinburg

#1165 in the United States

#1241 in North America

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

31. Pfeiffer University

Misenheimer

#1210 in the United States

#1286 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 95%
Net Price: $21,402
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $25,458

32. Lenoir-Rhyne University

Hickory

#1245 in the United States

#1321 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 81%
Net Price: $24,042
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $33,874

33. University of North Carolina School of the Arts

Winston-Salem

#1271 in the United States

#1349 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 33%
Average SAT: 1250
Average ACT: 26
Receiving Aid: 80%

34. Salem College

Winston-Salem

#1281 in the United States

#1359 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 87%
Average SAT: 1197
Average ACT: 23
Net Price: $19,000

35. Catawba College

Salisbury

#1283 in the United States

#1361 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 78%
Average SAT: 1098
Average ACT: 23
Net Price: $18,319

36. Shaw University

Raleigh

#1284 in the United States

#1362 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Net Price: $14,111
Receiving Aid: 99%
Average Aid: $15,568

37. Bennett College

Greensboro

#1309 in the United States

#1387 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 34%
Average SAT: 902
Net Price: $20,928
Receiving Aid: 100%

38. Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary

Wake Forest

#1344 in the United States

#1423 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 77%
Average SAT: 1075
Average ACT: 22
Net Price: $11,395

39. Greensboro College

Greensboro

#1348 in the United States

#1427 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 92%
Net Price: $19,783
Receiving Aid: 99%
Average Aid: $14,676

40. Belmont Abbey College

Belmont

#1374 in the United States

#1453 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 90%
Average SAT: 1065
Average ACT: 21
Net Price: $23,463

41. Barton College

Wilson

#1429 in the United States

#1511 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 96%
Net Price: $23,804
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $24,334

42. Livingstone College

Salisbury

#1431 in the United States

#1513 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 74%
Net Price: $15,162
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $13,065

43. Brevard College

Brevard

#1492 in the United States

#1576 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 40%
Average SAT: 1045
Average ACT: 21
Net Price: $26,938

44. Cabarrus College of Health Sciences

Concord

#1495 in the United States

#1579 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 49%
Average SAT: 1015
Average ACT: 19
Net Price: $14,344

45. University of Mount Olive

Mount Olive

#1501 in the United States

#1585 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 78%
Average ACT: 20
Net Price: $17,893
Receiving Aid: 100%

46. William Peace University

Raleigh

#1514 in the United States

#1598 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 97%
Average SAT: 1210
Average ACT: 25
Net Price: $24,503

47. Mars Hill University

Mars Hill

#1537 in the United States

#1623 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 78%
Net Price: $19,842
Receiving Aid: 98%
Average Aid: $28,914

48. North Carolina Wesleyan College

Rocky Mount

#1562 in the United States

#1648 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 78%
Net Price: $19,111
Receiving Aid: 99%
Average Aid: $29,177

49. Montreat College

Montreat

#1580 in the United States

#1666 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 66%
Net Price: $26,294
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $19,528

50. Chowan University

Murfreesboro

#1655 in the United States

#1742 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 72%
Average SAT: 1013
Net Price: $15,845
Receiving Aid: 100%

51. Piedmont International University

Winston-Salem

#1669 in the United States

#1756 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 34%
Net Price: $19,111
Receiving Aid: 99%
Average Aid: $11,743

52. Lees-McRae College

Banner Elk

#1719 in the United States

#1807 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 81%
Net Price: $26,009
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $19,843

53. Mid-Atlantic Christian University

Elizabeth City

#2001 in the United States

#2094 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 76%
Net Price: $26,793
Receiving Aid: 96%
Average Aid: $5,178

54. Saint Augustine's University

Raleigh

#2011 in the United States

#2104 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 59%
Net Price: $18,373
Receiving Aid: 97%
Average Aid: $11,978

55. Platt College-Miller-Motte-Wilmington

Wilmington

#2142 in the United States

#2239 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Net Price: $22,769
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $6,074

56. Shepherds Theological Seminary

Cary

#2231 in the United States

#2331 in North America

Enrollment: 192
Male:Female: 85:15

57. Daoist Traditions College of Chinese Medical Arts

Asheville

#2234 in the United States

#2334 in North America

Enrollment: 91
Male:Female: 21:79

58. Hood Theological Seminary

Salisbury

#2268 in the United States

#2368 in North America

Enrollment: 132
Male:Female: 53:47

59. Jung Tao School of Classical Chinese Medicine

Sugar Grove

#2306 in the United States

#2407 in North America

Enrollment: 77
Male:Female: 18:82

60. Charlotte Christian College and Theological Seminary

Charlotte

#2316 in the United States

#2417 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Net Price: $15,124
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $490

61. Carolina Christian College

Winston-Salem

#2327 in the United States

#2428 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Net Price: $11,448
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $6,804

62. Living Arts College

Raleigh

#2332 in the United States

#2433 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Net Price: $23,814
Receiving Aid: 93%
Average Aid: $6,101

63. Heritage Bible College

Dunn

#2340 in the United States

#2441 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Net Price: $14,219
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $3,808

64. Carolina College of Biblical Studies

Fayetteville

#2350 in the United States

#2451 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Net Price: $18,745
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $5,522

65. Manna University

Fayetteville

#2352 in the United States

#2453 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Net Price: $16,384
Receiving Aid: 50%
Average Aid: $3,384

State	Universities Unis	Best university country rank Best uni rank
South Carolina	37	89
Virginia	63	40
West Virginia	26	105
Georgia	63	47
District of Columbia	15	55
Maryland	34	9
Kentucky	38	63
Tennessee	56	50
Delaware	5	82
Ohio	90	18
Pennsylvania	155	12
Alabama	33	87
New Jersey	47	21
Indiana	55	33
Florida	109	23
Connecticut	28	10
Illinois	100	15
New York	221	4
Mississippi	18	132
Rhode Island	12	49
Massachusetts	88	1
Michigan	62	3
Arkansas	24	128
Vermont	17	111
Missouri	67	39
New Hampshire	16	76
Louisiana	27	79
Wisconsin	47	13
Iowa	39	48
Maine	19	154
Oklahoma	31	99
Kansas	32	74
Minnesota	48	14
Nebraska	23	64
Texas	119	26
South Dakota	15	232
North Dakota	14	177
Colorado	38	44
Puerto Rico	52	367
New Mexico	12	84
US Virgin Islands	1	790
Wyoming	1	146
Montana	12	145
Utah	20	41
Arizona	25	35
Idaho	10	149
Nevada	10	129
Oregon	31	60
California	249	2
Washington	57	8
Alaska	6	181
Hawaii	10	159
American Samoa	1	1689
Northern Mariana Islands	1	1585
Guam	2	601

Closest to North Carolina states