10 Best Colleges in North Carolina | 2024

North Carolina among many other things is reputed for its institutions. With the many institutions, getting to know those ranked at the top can be quite hard. 

In our update today, with the help of our research associates, we have listed the 10 best colleges in North Carolina. We believe this will interest those looking for top colleges in North Carolina.  

We ranked the best colleges in North Carolina based on academic impact, laurels, diversity, and public reviews, among many other things. We also gathered resources from the authorities and independent educational groups. 

Table of contents

Check Out: 2024 Best Pharmacy Schools In North Carolina (NC)
 

10 Best Colleges in North Carolina.

1. Duke University

Duke University is in Durham, NC. The university’s history of establishment dates as far back as 1838. It started off as a local professional school but later became a university in 1924. 

Duke University was named after a popular American industrialist, James Buchanan Duke. The institution sits on a 9,000 acres landmass with adjoining campuses.  

Duke University since its inception, has maintained an unmatched academic record that ranks its top among the 10 best colleges in North Carolina. 

The serenity of the environment and the world-class team of academicians and management have made it a top choice among students and scholars in the states, especially in North Carolina. 

 

Below are the major academic disciplines at Duke.

  • Public Policy Analysis
  • Biology/Biological Sciences 
  • Economics
  • Bioengineering/Biomedical Engineering 
  • Psychology

Duke is a public university and has a very high acceptance rate with a very liberal
policy that gives everyone equal opportunity. 
 

Tuition: $21,764

Check Also: Best Aerospace Engineering Schools in North Carolina | 2024

2. Davidson College


The Presbyterians in Davidson North Carolina established Davidson College. It started in 1837 and has since grown into a reputable institution. 

The college has over 2000 students enrolling yearly from other states and countries. It has won laurels and trophies both in athletic and academic competitions. 

Davidson’s main campus sits on a 665 acres land mass in addition to over 110 lake campuses.

There are 74 academic degrees and 50 campuses in Davidson. It has an average of 15 students per class, making learning easier and more serene. 

The liberal nature of the university made it possible to accommodate over 150 student organizations cutting across different socio-cultural and religious groups. There are so many majors at Davidson, but they are more reputed for the following:

  • Political Science and Government
  • Biology/Biological Sciences
  • Economics
  • Psychology
  • Literature

Tuition: $22,457

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3. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill


The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, or Carolina as it is fondly called, was founded in 1789, making it one of the oldest universities in America.
Carolina maintains a vast scope of majors and courses, offering 78 bachelors, 112 Masters, 68 Doctorate, and 7 professional degrees. 

They are offered through 15 departments in the school. Carolina currently boasts state-of-the-art facilities and tools that have enhanced teaching and learning in the school.


In addition to being one of the 10 best colleges in North Carolina, the institution is the second-largest university in North Carolina owing to its vast landmass, which currently occupies 728 acres and a population of over 28,000 students. 

Carolina attracts students and scholars both within and outside the country. Though Carolina is very large, it has maintained a ratio of 13:1 student-faculty ratio. Among the popular majors in the university are:

  • Biology
  • Psychology
  • Economics

Tuition: $10936

See Also: Top 7 Law Schools in North Carolina | Rankings 2024

4. North Carolina University Raleigh


North Carolina University Raleigh or NC was founded in 1887. It focused more on land, sea, and space research. NC is among the 16 universities in the North Carolina University system.

NC has research partnerships with other institutions, allowing students and scholars to access deep knowledge in research-based courses.


The wide array of courses accommodates and issues out 106 bachelor, 104 master, and 61 doctoral degrees within 11 departmental schools. The city equally provides a scheme that allows for easy integration of graduates into the labour system of the state.

  • Engineering
  • Business/Management
  • Marketing
  • Biological/Biological sciences
  • Social Sciences

Tuition: $13579

Read Also: 10 Best Boarding Schools In North Carolina NC | 2024 Ranking

5. Wake Forest University


Wake Forest university making it to the list of 10 best colleges in North Carolina is unsurprising. This is because of the research breakthroughs and excellence it has maintained over the years. 

The institution has hosted US presidential debates and has achieved the highest US CPA exam pass rate over the last 12 years.


It has become the favourite of many as it continues to gain global recognition. Admitting not less than 8,000 students per academic session. The multicultural diversity of the university gave room for over 190 recognized student organizations in the school. 

Their most notable majors are:

  • Political Science
  • Business
  • Hard Sciences: Chemistry, Physics, Biology
  • Law
  • Business
  • Medicine

Tuition: $25,826

6. University of North Carolina at Greensboro 


Also known as UNC, the University of North Carolina at Greensboro operates as a public liberal arts school in North Carolina. They have an excellent track record in the field of liberal arts, producing some of the most notable liberal arts scholars in North Carolina. 

UNC has a high admission rate and currently has 16000 students, projected to rise soon. We also wish to point out that the student-faculty ratio is currently at 18:1.

  • Business/Management
  • Education
  • Social Sciences
  • Health Professions
  • Visual and Performing Arts.

Tuition: $10,076

7. Salem University


Salem started as an only girl’s primary school in 1772 before becoming a college for girls. It is popular in North Carolina for spearheading girl advocacy campaigns and community enlightenment schemes. 

It might also interest you that Salem also opens the door for continuing education programs.


After graduation, they immerse graduates in internships that easily absorb them into different jobs. Salem is basically all about women’s empowerment.

Among the majors in Salem are.

  • Education
  • Biology/Biological Sciences
  • Business Administration and Management
  • Psychology

Tuition: $15,497

8. Campbell University


We cannot finish the list of the 10 best colleges in North Carolina without mentioning Campbell University. 

Established in 1887, the university is reputed to provide students with lots of tuition aid. In addition to that, Campbell is equally the only North Carolina university with accreditation in Law, Pharmacy, and Medicine.


The school currently has over 4,500 students in over 150 departments. Campbell has 6 campuses and covers over 850 acres.

  • Business Administration and Management
  • Science Technologies/Technicians
  • Information Technology
  • Psychology
  • General Science/Social Science

Tuition: $26,865

9. University of North Carolina Wilmington


UNC Wilmington is a public university established in 1947. Before becoming a university, UNC Wilmington started as a junior college offering courses to world war II veterans. 

The international standard of education maintained by UNC Wilmington earned it a spot on the list of best colleges of education in North Carolina.


They offer degrees in different fields. The urban campus currently has 13,000 students while maintaining a student-faculty ratio of 17:1. Among the majors, it is known for being.

  • Business/Management
  • Health Professions and Related Programs
  • Biological and Biomedical Sciences
  • Social Sciences
  • Education

Tuition: $14,418

10. Appalachian State University


The appalachian state university is surrounded by the blue ridge mountains. This feature has earned the admiration of many students and scholars in North Carolina and the United States in general. 

Established in 1899, ASU, as it is fondly called, has gone further to carve a niche with an award as one of the coolest schools in the US.


It is also one of the best colleges in the Southeast, as reviewed by Princeton. ASU currently enrols over 1600 undergraduates and 1500 graduates on their list. 

The school maintains a student-faculty ratio of 16:1. You will also find over 350 student organizations accommodating multicultural diversity in the university.

ASU has not less than 150 majors. The most popular are.

  • Business Administration & Management
  • Accounting
  • Marketing
  • Finance
  • Elementary Education

Tuition: $11,508

Conclusion 

North Carolina is home to top educational institutions. We rank many of the ones we listed above among the world’s best colleges. Some offer distance learning to accommodate those who prefer or can’t study on campus.

We rank the best colleges in North Carolina based on public reviews and independent assessments. 

To find the top colleges in North Carolina, it is usually best you start with the search terms like “top colleges in North Carolina” or “Best colleges in North Carolina” this will narrow your search to what you are looking for.

References 

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