39 Best Physics schools in North Carolina

Updated: February 29, 2024

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 8.4M citations received by 259K 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

#39 in the United States

#44 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 17%
Average SAT: 1440
Average ACT: 32
Receiving Aid: 59%

2. North Carolina State University at Raleigh

Raleigh

For Physics

#41 in the United States

#46 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 47%
Average SAT: 1370
Average ACT: 31
Receiving Aid: 80%

3. Duke University

Durham

For Physics

#44 in the United States

#49 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 6%
Average SAT: 1530
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $23,694

4. Wake Forest University

Winston-Salem

For Physics

#142 in the United States

#166 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 21%
Net Price: $26,197
Receiving Aid: 37%
Average Aid: $54,233

5. University of North Carolina at Charlotte

Charlotte

For Physics

#181 in the United States

#209 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 80%
Average SAT: 1180
Average ACT: 24
Receiving Aid: 75%

6. East Carolina University

Greenville

For Physics

#213 in the United States

#244 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 92%
Receiving Aid: 80%
Average Aid: $9,020
Enrollment: 27,151

7. University of North Carolina at Greensboro

Greensboro

For Physics

#267 in the United States

#304 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 92%
Average SAT: 1195
Average ACT: 25
Receiving Aid: 91%

8. North Carolina A&T State University

Greensboro

For Physics

#275 in the United States

#315 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 56%
Average SAT: 1050
Average ACT: 20
Receiving Aid: 97%

9. University of North Carolina Wilmington

Wilmington

For Physics

#323 in the United States

#364 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 69%
Average SAT: 1295
Average ACT: 27
Receiving Aid: 74%

10. Appalachian State University

Boone

For Physics

#330 in the United States

#373 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 83%
Average SAT: 1185
Average ACT: 24
Receiving Aid: 70%

11. North Carolina Central University

Durham

For Physics

#461 in the United States

#514 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 84%
Average SAT: 970
Average ACT: 19
Receiving Aid: 96%

12. Western Carolina University

Cullowhee

For Physics

#482 in the United States

#536 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 85%
Average SAT: 1130
Average ACT: 23
Receiving Aid: 100%

13. Davidson College

Davidson

For Physics

#504 in the United States

#558 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 17%
Average SAT: 1425
Average ACT: 32
Net Price: $26,704

14. St. Andrews University

Laurinburg

For Physics

#556 in the United States

#611 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 65%
Net Price: $31,864
Receiving Aid: 98%
Average Aid: $17,026

15. Elon University

Elon

For Physics

#589 in the United States

#645 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 74%
Average SAT: 1265
Average ACT: 28
Net Price: $41,527

16. University of North Carolina at Asheville

Asheville

For Physics

#596 in the United States

#652 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 74%
Average SAT: 1243
Average ACT: 25
Receiving Aid: 94%

17. University of North Carolina at Pembroke

Pembroke

For Physics

#598 in the United States

#655 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 90%
Receiving Aid: 91%
Average Aid: $6,619
Enrollment: 7,666

18. Guilford College

Greensboro

For Physics

#648 in the United States

#706 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 84%
Average SAT: 1045
Average ACT: 22
Net Price: $23,882

19. Fayetteville State University

Fayetteville

For Physics

#659 in the United States

#717 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 81%
Average SAT: 965
Average ACT: 17
Receiving Aid: 91%

20. Winston-Salem State University

Winston-Salem

For Physics

#701 in the United States

#762 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 73%
Average SAT: 940
Average ACT: 17
Receiving Aid: 95%

21. Queens University of Charlotte

Charlotte

For Physics

#725 in the United States

#786 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 71%
Average SAT: 1168
Average ACT: 26
Net Price: $29,459

22. High Point University

High Point

For Physics

#785 in the United States

#849 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 79%
Average SAT: 1192
Average ACT: 26
Net Price: $40,221

23. Piedmont International University

Winston-Salem

For Physics

#794 in the United States

#859 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 52%
Net Price: $16,731
Receiving Aid: 97%
Average Aid: $10,437

24. Campbell University

Buies Creek

For Physics

#831 in the United States

#897 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 89%
Net Price: $24,280
Receiving Aid: 98%
Average Aid: $33,425

25. Greensboro College

Greensboro

For Physics

#943 in the United States

#1012 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 84%
Net Price: $19,581
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $15,283

26. Methodist University

Fayetteville

For Physics

#1016 in the United States

#1087 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 76%
Average SAT: 1132
Average ACT: 25
Net Price: $28,129

27. Elizabeth City State University

Elizabeth City

For Physics

#1053 in the United States

#1125 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 74%
Average SAT: 960
Average ACT: 19
Receiving Aid: 97%

28. Gardner-Webb University

Boiling Springs

For Physics

#1206 in the United States

#1282 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 75%
Average SAT: 1115
Average ACT: 23
Net Price: $22,339

29. Meredith College

Raleigh

For Physics

#1210 in the United States

#1286 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 73%
Average SAT: 1230
Average ACT: 25
Net Price: $23,259

30. Johnson C Smith University

Charlotte

For Physics

#1218 in the United States

#1294 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 25%
Net Price: $20,045
Receiving Aid: 99%
Average Aid: $12,911

31. Wingate University

Wingate

For Physics

#1224 in the United States

#1300 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 86%
Average SAT: 1080
Average ACT: 21
Net Price: $18,823

32. Salem College

Winston-Salem

For Physics

#1271 in the United States

#1347 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 87%
Net Price: $18,354
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $30,048

33. University of Mount Olive

Mount Olive

For Physics

#1283 in the United States

#1359 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 75%
Net Price: $17,878
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $16,371

34. Pfeiffer University

Misenheimer

For Physics

#1290 in the United States

#1366 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 69%
Average ACT: 18
Net Price: $21,575
Receiving Aid: 100%

35. Bennett College

Greensboro

For Physics

#1321 in the United States

#1397 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 45%
Net Price: $20,545
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $14,996

36. Warren Wilson College

Swannanoa

For Physics

#1352 in the United States

#1432 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 84%
Average ACT: 28
Net Price: $28,086
Receiving Aid: 100%

37. Lenoir-Rhyne University

Hickory

For Physics

#1371 in the United States

#1452 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 83%
Net Price: $21,843
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $35,641

38. Shaw University

Raleigh

For Physics

#1403 in the United States

#1485 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 61%
Net Price: $14,204
Receiving Aid: 89%
Average Aid: $15,548

39. Catawba College

Salisbury

For Physics

#1438 in the United States

#1520 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 67%
Average SAT: 1105
Average ACT: 23
Net Price: $19,701

Closest to North Carolina states to learn Physics

State	Universities Unis	Best university country rank Best uni rank
South Carolina	26	82
Virginia	40	43
West Virginia	16	115
Georgia	43	17
District of Columbia	9	111
Maryland	26	18
Kentucky	25	72
Tennessee	32	56
Delaware	3	57
Ohio	57	23
Pennsylvania	102	12
Alabama	24	98
New Jersey	26	9
Indiana	30	27
Florida	51	29
Connecticut	20	25
Illinois	65	6
New York	131	8
Mississippi	14	143
Rhode Island	9	58
Massachusetts	68	1
Michigan	36	5
Arkansas	18	118
Vermont	11	135
Missouri	34	52
New Hampshire	11	101
Louisiana	24	76
Wisconsin	30	14
Iowa	26	36
Maine	13	186
Oklahoma	19	93
Kansas	14	94
Minnesota	26	15
Nebraska	11	84
Texas	74	13
South Dakota	8	252
North Dakota	7	169
Colorado	19	35
Puerto Rico	14	283
New Mexico	9	80
Montana	7	147
Utah	10	42
Arizona	9	30
Idaho	7	156
Nevada	6	129
Oregon	17	79
California	125	2
Washington	30	10
Alaska	4	184
Hawaii	7	114