39 Best Physics schools in North Carolina

Updated: March 02, 2025

Ranking by academic field

Below is a list of best universities in North Carolina ranked based on their research performance in Physics. A graph of 11.4M citations received by 294K academic papers made by 39 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 Physics

#36 in the United States

#39 in North America

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

2. Duke University

Durham

For Physics

#40 in the United States

#45 in North America

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

3. North Carolina State University at Raleigh

Raleigh

For Physics

#42 in the United States

#47 in North America

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

4. Wake Forest University

Winston-Salem

For Physics

#137 in the United States

#161 in North America

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

5. University of North Carolina at Charlotte

Charlotte

For Physics

#172 in the United States

#200 in North America

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

6. East Carolina University

Greenville

For Physics

#214 in the United States

#245 in North America

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

7. University of North Carolina at Greensboro

Greensboro

For Physics

#262 in the United States

#299 in North America

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

8. North Carolina A&T State University

Greensboro

For Physics

#272 in the United States

#309 in North America

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

9. University of North Carolina Wilmington

Wilmington

For Physics

#327 in the United States

#370 in North America

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

10. Appalachian State University

Boone

For Physics

#332 in the United States

#375 in North America

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

11. North Carolina Central University

Durham

For Physics

#467 in the United States

#520 in North America

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

12. Western Carolina University

Cullowhee

For Physics

#501 in the United States

#556 in North America

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

13. Davidson College

Davidson

For Physics

#515 in the United States

#570 in North America

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

14. University of North Carolina at Pembroke

Pembroke

For Physics

#574 in the United States

#629 in North America

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

15. St. Andrews University

Laurinburg

For Physics

#583 in the United States

#638 in North America

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

16. Elon University

Elon

For Physics

#585 in the United States

#640 in North America

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

17. Queens University of Charlotte

Charlotte

For Physics

#587 in the United States

#642 in North America

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

18. University of North Carolina at Asheville

Asheville

For Physics

#603 in the United States

#658 in North America

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

19. Fayetteville State University

Fayetteville

For Physics

#666 in the United States

#724 in North America

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

20. Guilford College

Greensboro

For Physics

#683 in the United States

#743 in North America

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

21. Winston-Salem State University

Winston-Salem

For Physics

#709 in the United States

#770 in North America

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

22. Piedmont International University

Winston-Salem

For Physics

#765 in the United States

#828 in North America

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

23. High Point University

High Point

For Physics

#786 in the United States

#850 in North America

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

24. Campbell University

Buies Creek

For Physics

#848 in the United States

#915 in North America

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

25. Greensboro College

Greensboro

For Physics

#964 in the United States

#1033 in North America

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

26. Methodist University

Fayetteville

For Physics

#978 in the United States

#1047 in North America

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

27. Elizabeth City State University

Elizabeth City

For Physics

#1069 in the United States

#1141 in North America

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

28. Wingate University

Wingate

For Physics

#1171 in the United States

#1248 in North America

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

29. Meredith College

Raleigh

For Physics

#1187 in the United States

#1264 in North America

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

30. Johnson C Smith University

Charlotte

For Physics

#1205 in the United States

#1282 in North America

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

31. Gardner-Webb University

Boiling Springs

For Physics

#1242 in the United States

#1319 in North America

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

32. Salem College

Winston-Salem

For Physics

#1265 in the United States

#1342 in North America

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

33. Pfeiffer University

Misenheimer

For Physics

#1300 in the United States

#1377 in North America

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

34. University of Mount Olive

Mount Olive

For Physics

#1316 in the United States

#1394 in North America

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

35. Warren Wilson College

Swannanoa

For Physics

#1352 in the United States

#1432 in North America

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

36. Bennett College

Greensboro

For Physics

#1387 in the United States

#1467 in North America

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

37. Shaw University

Raleigh

For Physics

#1411 in the United States

#1492 in North America

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

38. Catawba College

Salisbury

For Physics

#1464 in the United States

#1545 in North America

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

39. Lenoir-Rhyne University

Hickory

For Physics

#1466 in the United States

#1547 in North America

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

Closest to North Carolina states to learn Physics

State	Universities Unis	Best university country rank Best uni rank
South Carolina	27	82
Virginia	41	45
West Virginia	17	113
Georgia	45	17
District of Columbia	9	111
Maryland	27	18
Kentucky	25	72
Tennessee	32	56
Delaware	3	58
Ohio	59	24
Pennsylvania	103	12
Alabama	24	97
New Jersey	27	11
Indiana	31	25
Florida	55	29
Connecticut	20	26
Illinois	68	6
New York	134	8
Mississippi	14	142
Rhode Island	9	57
Massachusetts	69	1
Michigan	37	5
Arkansas	18	121
Vermont	11	136
Missouri	35	51
New Hampshire	11	96
Louisiana	24	75
Wisconsin	32	14
Iowa	29	41
Maine	14	185
Oklahoma	19	93
Kansas	15	91
Minnesota	26	16
Nebraska	11	83
Texas	76	13
South Dakota	8	250
North Dakota	8	174
Colorado	20	35
Puerto Rico	15	284
New Mexico	9	84
Montana	7	150
Utah	11	44
Arizona	10	30
Idaho	7	157
Nevada	6	129
Oregon	17	77
California	132	2
Washington	31	10
Alaska	4	180
Hawaii	7	114