21 Best colleges for Communications and Public Relations 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 Communications and Public Relations. A graph of 589K citations received by 19.1K academic papers made by 21 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. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill

For Communications and Public Relations

#20 in the United States

#23 in North America

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

2. Duke University

Durham

For Communications and Public Relations

#44 in the United States

#53 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 6%
Average SAT: 1535
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $21,981

3. North Carolina State University at Raleigh

Raleigh

For Communications and Public Relations

#61 in the United States

#71 in North America

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

4. University of North Carolina at Charlotte

Charlotte

For Communications and Public Relations

#109 in the United States

#128 in North America

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

5. University of North Carolina at Greensboro

Greensboro

For Communications and Public Relations

#112 in the United States

#131 in North America

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

6. East Carolina University

Greenville

For Communications and Public Relations

#122 in the United States

#144 in North America

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

7. Wake Forest University

Winston-Salem

For Communications and Public Relations

#175 in the United States

#203 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Average SAT: 1465
Average ACT: 33
Net Price: $24,401

8. Appalachian State University

Boone

For Communications and Public Relations

#195 in the United States

#224 in North America

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

9. University of North Carolina Wilmington

Wilmington

For Communications and Public Relations

#228 in the United States

#261 in North America

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

10. Western Carolina University

Cullowhee

For Communications and Public Relations

#261 in the United States

#294 in North America

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

11. Elon University

Elon

For Communications and Public Relations

#291 in the United States

#326 in North America

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

12. North Carolina A&T State University

Greensboro

For Communications and Public Relations

#315 in the United States

#353 in North America

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

13. Fayetteville State University

Fayetteville

For Communications and Public Relations

#476 in the United States

#525 in North America

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

14. North Carolina Central University

Durham

For Communications and Public Relations

#538 in the United States

#589 in North America

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

15. University of North Carolina at Pembroke

Pembroke

For Communications and Public Relations

#560 in the United States

#613 in North America

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

16. Davidson College

Davidson

For Communications and Public Relations

#605 in the United States

#661 in North America

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

17. Winston-Salem State University

Winston-Salem

For Communications and Public Relations

#682 in the United States

#744 in North America

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

18. High Point University

High Point

For Communications and Public Relations

#740 in the United States

#804 in North America

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

19. Queens University of Charlotte

Charlotte

For Communications and Public Relations

#741 in the United States

#805 in North America

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

20. Campbell University

Buies Creek

For Communications and Public Relations

#750 in the United States

#814 in North America

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

21. University of North Carolina at Asheville

Asheville

For Communications and Public Relations

#784 in the United States

#849 in North America

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

Closest to North Carolina states to learn Communications and Public Relations

State	Universities Unis	Best university country rank Best uni rank
South Carolina	12	43
Virginia	23	23
West Virginia	4	97
Georgia	26	26
District of Columbia	8	30
Maryland	16	12
Kentucky	11	51
Tennessee	21	49
Ohio	30	16
Pennsylvania	54	2
Alabama	12	81
New Jersey	17	17
Indiana	17	27
Florida	29	21
Connecticut	16	28
Illinois	30	19
New York	82	11
Mississippi	7	142
Rhode Island	7	166
Massachusetts	41	4
Michigan	18	1
Arkansas	7	124
Vermont	4	137
Missouri	17	52
New Hampshire	6	95
Louisiana	17	93
Wisconsin	14	14
Iowa	7	46
Maine	6	218
Oklahoma	8	59
Kansas	8	65
Minnesota	20	9
Nebraska	7	54
Texas	53	22
South Dakota	3	301
North Dakota	2	210
Colorado	14	68
Puerto Rico	4	792
Utah	7	71
Arizona	6	5
Idaho	3	196
Oregon	12	91
California	78	6
Washington	16	3
Hawaii	4	129