Best North Carolina Colleges

There are 125 colleges and universities in North Carolina enrolling 577,114 students. Explore the list of top colleges in North Carolina below to begin your college search. The CollegeSimply rankings are objective and data-driven in order to help you find good matches for you. Learn how the Best Colleges rankings are calculated on our ranking methodology page. Whether you're searching for a good public, private or community college, this guide to universities in North Carolina offers a comprehensive view to the state's higher education options.

 North Carolina is home to nationally ranked institutions like Duke University, Davidson College, Wake Forest University and University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The highest ranked college in North Carolina is Duke University and the top rated public state college is University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Local college options can be explored in Charlotte, Raleigh, Greensboro and Winston-Salem or other cities.

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North Carolina Public Private For-Profit 4 Year 2 Year

List of the Best North Carolina Colleges

Mid Atlantic Christian University Campus
 

  • Private 4 Year
  • Elizabeth City, NC
  • | 0 reviews
  • Aug 1 application deadline

Mid-Atlantic Christian is a private Christian university known for undergraduate biblical studies and ministry. The campus sits along the Pasquotank River in Elizabeth City.

5/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 830-1210
  • Avg GPA 3.09
  • Acceptance Rate 62%
  • Net Price $20,581
Roanoke Chowan Community College Campus
 

  • Public 2 Year
  • Ahoskie, NC
  • | 0 reviews

Roanoke-Chowan is a public community college known for associate programs in nursing, business, and industrial systems technology. The small campus is located in the rural town of Ahoskie in northeastern North Carolina.

  • SAT Range -
  • Avg GPA NA
  • Acceptance Rate 100%
  • Net Price $5,570
Robeson Community College Campus
 

  • Public 2 Year
  • Lumberton, NC
  • | 0 reviews

A public community college offering two-year associate degrees and career-focused technical programs. The campus is in Lumberton in southeastern North Carolina.

  • SAT Range -
  • Avg GPA NA
  • Acceptance Rate 100%
  • Net Price $2,989
Rockingham Community College Campus
 

  • Public 2 Year
  • Wentworth, NC
  • | 0 reviews

Rockingham Community College is a public community college with undergraduate programs in nursing and industrial technology. The rural campus is in the small town of Wentworth in northern North Carolina.

  • SAT Range -
  • Avg GPA NA
  • Acceptance Rate 100%
  • Net Price $3,158
Rowan Cabarrus Community College Campus
 

  • Public 2 Year
  • Salisbury, NC
  • | 0 reviews

Rowan-Cabarrus is a public community college offering associate degrees and career certificates in fields such as nursing and industrial technologies. Students attend campuses in Salisbury and Concord that serve Rowan and Cabarrus counties.

  • SAT Range -
  • Avg GPA NA
  • Acceptance Rate 100%
  • Net Price $9,548

  • Private 4 Year
  • Raleigh, NC
  • | 0 reviews

Saint Augustine's is a private historically Black university with undergraduate programs in business, education, and the sciences. The compact urban campus sits in Raleigh.

3/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 780-940
  • Avg GPA 2.5
  • Acceptance Rate 34%
  • Net Price $19,688

  • Private 4 Year
  • Winston-Salem, NC
  • 5.0 | 2 reviews

Salem is a private women's liberal arts college known for undergraduate music and the sciences. The historic campus adjoins the Old Salem Moravian district in Winston-Salem.

5/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1066-1243
  • Avg GPA 3.3
  • Acceptance Rate 77%
  • Net Price $18,668
Sampson Community College Campus
 

  • Public 2 Year
  • Clinton, NC
  • | 0 reviews
  • Jun 1 application deadline

Sampson Community College is a public community college known for undergraduate programs in nursing and agribusiness. The small campus is located in the town of Clinton in rural eastern North Carolina.

  • SAT Range -
  • Avg GPA NA
  • Acceptance Rate 100%
  • Net Price $4,261
Sandhills Community College Campus
 

  • Public 2 Year
  • Pinehurst, NC
  • 5.0 | 1 reviews

Sandhills is a public community college known for associate programs in golf course turfgrass management and nursing. The campus is in the village of Pinehurst in the North Carolina Sandhills.

  • SAT Range -
  • Avg GPA NA
  • Acceptance Rate 100%
  • Net Price $6,513

  • Private 4 Year
  • Raleigh, NC
  • | 0 reviews
  • Jul 30 application deadline

Shaw is a private HBCU known for undergraduate business, education, and social work. The urban campus in Raleigh is the oldest historically Black college in the South.

0/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range -
  • Avg GPA 2.6
  • Acceptance Rate 80%
  • Net Price $16,445

  • Private 4 Year
  • Laurinburg, NC
  • | 0 reviews

St. Andrews is a small private university known for undergraduate equestrian studies and the liberal arts. Most students live on the residential campus in the small town of Laurinburg.

  • SAT Range -
  • Avg GPA 3.13
  • Acceptance Rate 100%
  • Net Price $29,474
Southeastern Community College Campus
 

  • Public 2 Year
  • Whiteville, NC
  • | 0 reviews

Southeastern Community College is a community college with associate programs in nursing and industrial technologies. Students attend a small campus in the town of Whiteville in southeastern North Carolina.

  • SAT Range -
  • Avg GPA NA
  • Acceptance Rate 100%
  • Net Price $10,862
Southwestern Community College Campus
 

  • Public 2 Year
  • Sylva, NC
  • | 0 reviews

Southwestern is a public community college offering associate degrees and certificates in health sciences and technical career fields. The campus is in the mountain town of Sylva in western North Carolina.

  • SAT Range -
  • Avg GPA NA
  • Acceptance Rate 100%
  • Net Price $6,176
Stanly Community College Campus
 

  • Public 2 Year
  • Albemarle, NC
  • 1.0 | 1 reviews

Stanly Community College is a public community college known for undergraduate nursing, allied health, and technical career programs. The main campus is located in the small city of Albemarle in central North Carolina.

  • SAT Range -
  • Avg GPA NA
  • Acceptance Rate 100%
  • Net Price $6,380
Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary Campus
 

  • Private 4 Year
  • Wake Forest, NC
  • | 0 reviews

A private Southern Baptist seminary known for undergraduate biblical studies, theology, and ministry training. The campus is in the town of Wake Forest just north of Raleigh.

5/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1000-1250
  • Avg GPA NA
  • Acceptance Rate 75%
  • Net Price $16,031
Surry Community College Campus
 

  • Public 2 Year
  • Dobson, NC
  • | 0 reviews
  • Aug 2 application deadline

Surry Community College is a public community college known for associate programs in viticulture and enology, nursing, and technical trades. The main campus is in the small town of Dobson in North Carolina's Yadkin Valley region.

  • SAT Range -
  • Avg GPA NA
  • Acceptance Rate 100%
  • Net Price $7,020
Alamance Community College Campus
 

  • Public 2 Year
  • Graham, NC
  • | 0 reviews

Alamance Community College is a public community college offering associate degrees and career programs in nursing and technical fields. Most students commute to the campus in Graham in central North Carolina's Piedmont.

  • SAT Range -
  • Avg GPA NA
  • Acceptance Rate 100%
  • Net Price $7,566
Tri County Community College Campus
 

  • Public 2 Year
  • Murphy, NC
  • | 0 reviews

Tri-County is a public community college offering associate degrees and technical certificate programs. The small campus sits in the mountain town of Murphy in far western North Carolina.

  • SAT Range -
  • Avg GPA NA
  • Acceptance Rate 100%
  • Net Price $7,905