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

#117 in the United States

#136 in North America

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

5. University of North Carolina at Charlotte

Charlotte

#172 in the United States

#197 in North America

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

6. East Carolina University

Greenville

#178 in the United States

#203 in North America

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

7. University of North Carolina at Greensboro

Greensboro

#196 in the United States

#222 in North America

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

8. Appalachian State University

Boone

#254 in the United States

#285 in North America

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

9. University of North Carolina Wilmington

Wilmington

#288 in the United States

#319 in North America

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

10. North Carolina A&T State University

Greensboro

#317 in the United States

#353 in North America

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

11. Davidson College

Davidson

#353 in the United States

#392 in North America

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

12. Western Carolina University

Cullowhee

#403 in the United States

#449 in North America

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

13. Elon University

Elon

#408 in the United States

#454 in North America

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

14. North Carolina Central University

Durham

#456 in the United States

#503 in North America

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

15. University of North Carolina at Asheville

Asheville

#536 in the United States

#589 in North America

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

16. Campbell University

Buies Creek

#569 in the United States

#623 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

#611 in the United States

#668 in North America

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

18. High Point University

High Point

#622 in the United States

#679 in North America

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

19. Queens University of Charlotte

Charlotte

#625 in the United States

#682 in North America

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

20. Winston-Salem State University

Winston-Salem

#636 in the United States

#694 in North America

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

21. Fayetteville State University

Fayetteville

#645 in the United States

#704 in North America

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

22. Guilford College

Greensboro

#871 in the United States

#939 in North America

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

23. Meredith College

Raleigh

#995 in the United States

#1066 in North America

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

24. Elizabeth City State University

Elizabeth City

#1071 in the United States

#1144 in North America

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

25. Wingate University

Wingate

#1097 in the United States

#1170 in North America

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

26. Gardner-Webb University

Boiling Springs

#1116 in the United States

#1191 in North America

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

27. Methodist University

Fayetteville

#1130 in the United States

#1205 in North America

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

28. Warren Wilson College

Swannanoa

#1153 in the United States

#1229 in North America

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

29. Johnson C Smith University

Charlotte

#1188 in the United States

#1264 in North America

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

30. Lenoir-Rhyne University

Hickory

#1193 in the United States

#1269 in North America

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

31. Pfeiffer University

Misenheimer

#1214 in the United States

#1291 in North America

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

32. St. Andrews University

Laurinburg

#1221 in the United States

#1298 in North America

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

33. Shaw University

Raleigh

#1233 in the United States

#1310 in North America

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

34. University of North Carolina School of the Arts

Winston-Salem

#1251 in the United States

#1328 in North America

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

35. Catawba College

Salisbury

#1313 in the United States

#1391 in North America

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

36. Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary

Wake Forest

#1328 in the United States

#1407 in North America

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

37. Salem College

Winston-Salem

#1335 in the United States

#1414 in North America

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

38. Bennett College

Greensboro

#1339 in the United States

#1418 in North America

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

39. Greensboro College

Greensboro

#1357 in the United States

#1437 in North America

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

40. Belmont Abbey College

Belmont

#1382 in the United States

#1462 in North America

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

41. Barton College

Wilson

#1456 in the United States

#1539 in North America

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

42. Brevard College

Brevard

#1480 in the United States

#1564 in North America

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

43. Cabarrus College of Health Sciences

Concord

#1483 in the United States

#1567 in North America

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

44. Livingstone College

Salisbury

#1502 in the United States

#1586 in North America

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

45. University of Mount Olive

Mount Olive

#1506 in the United States

#1590 in North America

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

46. Chowan University

Murfreesboro

#1517 in the United States

#1601 in North America

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

47. North Carolina Wesleyan College

Rocky Mount

#1523 in the United States

#1608 in North America

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

48. William Peace University

Raleigh

#1526 in the United States

#1611 in North America

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

49. Mars Hill University

Mars Hill

#1547 in the United States

#1633 in North America

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

50. Montreat College

Montreat

#1588 in the United States

#1674 in North America

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

51. Piedmont International University

Winston-Salem

#1660 in the United States

#1747 in North America

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

52. Lees-McRae College

Banner Elk

#1724 in the United States

#1811 in North America

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

53. Mid-Atlantic Christian University

Elizabeth City

#2000 in the United States

#2093 in North America

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

54. Saint Augustine's University

Raleigh

#2007 in the United States

#2100 in North America

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

55. Platt College-Miller-Motte-Wilmington

Wilmington

#2150 in the United States

#2247 in North America

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

56. Daoist Traditions College of Chinese Medical Arts

Asheville

#2228 in the United States

#2327 in North America

Enrollment: 91
Male:Female: 21:79

57. Hood Theological Seminary

Salisbury

#2250 in the United States

#2350 in North America

Enrollment: 132
Male:Female: 53:47

58. Shepherds Theological Seminary

Cary

#2251 in the United States

#2351 in North America

Enrollment: 192
Male:Female: 85:15

59. Jung Tao School of Classical Chinese Medicine

Sugar Grove

#2292 in the United States

#2393 in North America

Enrollment: 77
Male:Female: 18:82

60. Living Arts College

Raleigh

#2293 in the United States

#2394 in North America

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

61. Charlotte Christian College and Theological Seminary

Charlotte

#2330 in the United States

#2431 in North America

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

62. Carolina College of Biblical Studies

Fayetteville

#2343 in the United States

#2444 in North America

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

63. Heritage Bible College

Dunn

#2345 in the United States

#2446 in North America

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

64. Manna University

Fayetteville

#2354 in the United States

#2455 in North America

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

65. Carolina Christian College

Winston-Salem

#2371 in the United States

#2472 in North America

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

State	Universities Unis	Best university country rank Best uni rank
South Carolina	37	88
Virginia	63	40
West Virginia	26	110
Georgia	63	47
District of Columbia	15	55
Maryland	34	9
Kentucky	38	61
Tennessee	56	50
Delaware	5	90
Ohio	90	18
Pennsylvania	155	12
Alabama	33	85
New Jersey	47	21
Indiana	55	32
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	127
Vermont	17	111
Missouri	67	39
New Hampshire	16	77
Louisiana	27	79
Wisconsin	47	13
Iowa	39	48
Maine	19	153
Oklahoma	31	96
Kansas	32	72
Minnesota	48	14
Nebraska	23	68
Texas	119	26
South Dakota	15	234
North Dakota	14	182
Colorado	38	44
Puerto Rico	52	360
New Mexico	12	82
US Virgin Islands	1	796
Wyoming	1	144
Montana	12	154
Utah	20	41
Arizona	25	34
Idaho	10	147
Nevada	10	131
Oregon	31	63
California	249	2
Washington	57	8
Alaska	6	177
Hawaii	10	159
American Samoa	1	1705
Northern Mariana Islands	1	1596
Guam	2	616

Closest to North Carolina states