45 Best Medical schools 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 Medicine. A graph of 21.4M citations received by 505K academic papers made by 45 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 Medicine

#16 in the United States

#17 in North America

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

2. Duke University

Durham

For Medicine

#30 in the United States

#33 in North America

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

3. Wake Forest University

Winston-Salem

For Medicine

#56 in the United States

#65 in North America

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

4. North Carolina State University at Raleigh

Raleigh

For Medicine

#94 in the United States

#107 in North America

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

5. East Carolina University

Greenville

For Medicine

#134 in the United States

#150 in North America

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

6. University of North Carolina at Charlotte

Charlotte

For Medicine

#185 in the United States

#208 in North America

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

7. University of North Carolina at Greensboro

Greensboro

For Medicine

#190 in the United States

#214 in North America

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

8. Appalachian State University

Boone

For Medicine

#276 in the United States

#308 in North America

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

9. University of North Carolina Wilmington

Wilmington

For Medicine

#336 in the United States

#373 in North America

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

10. North Carolina A&T State University

Greensboro

For Medicine

#402 in the United States

#443 in North America

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

11. Campbell University

Buies Creek

For Medicine

#423 in the United States

#465 in North America

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

12. Western Carolina University

Cullowhee

For Medicine

#424 in the United States

#466 in North America

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

13. North Carolina Central University

Durham

For Medicine

#445 in the United States

#487 in North America

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

14. Winston-Salem State University

Winston-Salem

For Medicine

#515 in the United States

#563 in North America

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

15. Elon University

Elon

For Medicine

#516 in the United States

#564 in North America

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

16. High Point University

High Point

For Medicine

#588 in the United States

#641 in North America

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

17. Davidson College

Davidson

For Medicine

#595 in the United States

#648 in North America

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

18. St. Andrews University

Laurinburg

For Medicine

#610 in the United States

#664 in North America

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

19. Wingate University

Wingate

For Medicine

#641 in the United States

#696 in North America

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

20. University of North Carolina at Asheville

Asheville

For Medicine

#683 in the United States

#741 in North America

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

21. University of North Carolina at Pembroke

Pembroke

For Medicine

#692 in the United States

#750 in North America

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

22. Fayetteville State University

Fayetteville

For Medicine

#745 in the United States

#804 in North America

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

23. Guilford College

Greensboro

For Medicine

#821 in the United States

#886 in North America

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

24. Methodist University

Fayetteville

For Medicine

#860 in the United States

#926 in North America

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

25. Queens University of Charlotte

Charlotte

For Medicine

#866 in the United States

#933 in North America

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

26. Pfeiffer University

Misenheimer

For Medicine

#879 in the United States

#947 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 96%
Net Price: $19,660
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $25,951

27. Greensboro College

Greensboro

For Medicine

#899 in the United States

#967 in North America

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

28. Piedmont International University

Winston-Salem

For Medicine

#1003 in the United States

#1071 in North America

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

29. Meredith College

Raleigh

For Medicine

#1022 in the United States

#1091 in North America

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

30. Livingstone College

Salisbury

For Medicine

#1062 in the United States

#1132 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 59%
Net Price: $12,826
Receiving Aid: 99%
Average Aid: $15,485

31. Gardner-Webb University

Boiling Springs

For Medicine

#1072 in the United States

#1142 in North America

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

32. University of Mount Olive

Mount Olive

For Medicine

#1098 in the United States

#1168 in North America

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

33. Lenoir-Rhyne University

Hickory

For Medicine

#1156 in the United States

#1227 in North America

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

34. Salem College

Winston-Salem

For Medicine

#1193 in the United States

#1265 in North America

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

35. Shaw University

Raleigh

For Medicine

#1233 in the United States

#1306 in North America

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

36. Elizabeth City State University

Elizabeth City

For Medicine

#1246 in the United States

#1319 in North America

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

37. Johnson C Smith University

Charlotte

For Medicine

#1296 in the United States

#1369 in North America

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

38. North Carolina Wesleyan College

Rocky Mount

For Medicine

#1300 in the United States

#1374 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 80%
Net Price: $18,472
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $31,552

39. Bennett College

Greensboro

For Medicine

#1411 in the United States

#1488 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 51%
Average SAT: 940
Net Price: $26,990
Receiving Aid: 96%

40. Catawba College

Salisbury

For Medicine

#1417 in the United States

#1494 in North America

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

41. Warren Wilson College

Swannanoa

For Medicine

#1423 in the United States

#1500 in North America

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

42. Cabarrus College of Health Sciences

Concord

For Medicine

#1436 in the United States

#1514 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 23%
Average ACT: 22
Net Price: $14,795
Receiving Aid: 100%

43. Brevard College

Brevard

For Medicine

#1462 in the United States

#1542 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 42%
Average SAT: 1045
Average ACT: 21
Net Price: $26,930

44. Barton College

Wilson

For Medicine

#1469 in the United States

#1550 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 94%
Net Price: $23,962
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $27,266

45. Mars Hill University

Mars Hill

For Medicine

#1554 in the United States

#1638 in North America

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

Closest to North Carolina states to learn Medicine

State	Universities Unis	Best university country rank Best uni rank
South Carolina	29	59
Virginia	43	49
West Virginia	21	105
Georgia	47	19
District of Columbia	9	63
Maryland	27	2
Kentucky	26	57
Tennessee	36	43
Delaware	3	131
Ohio	61	29
Pennsylvania	102	7
Alabama	28	31
New Jersey	27	42
Indiana	35	39
Florida	63	25
Connecticut	20	8
Illinois	73	21
New York	136	11
Mississippi	14	116
Rhode Island	9	54
Massachusetts	70	1
Michigan	36	4
Arkansas	17	88
Vermont	12	93
Missouri	37	17
New Hampshire	12	101
Louisiana	25	78
Wisconsin	33	20
Iowa	31	36
Maine	13	247
Oklahoma	19	110
Kansas	16	100
Minnesota	30	9
Nebraska	14	87
Texas	79	15
South Dakota	8	230
North Dakota	9	201
Colorado	20	37
Puerto Rico	16	314
New Mexico	9	82
Montana	9	183
Utah	11	35
Arizona	11	47
Idaho	7	209
Nevada	8	158
Oregon	18	46
California	132	3
Washington	32	6
Alaska	4	282
Hawaii	7	127