North Carolina Public Colleges Ranked by Smallest Enrollment

Below is a ranking of the 74 public colleges in North Carolina with the smallest enrollment of full and part time students. Pamlico Community College leads the list with a population of 263 students.

Enrollment is a measure of the size of the student body. Larger schools are more likely to offer a wider range of programs and services while smaller schools may have a more intimate and personalized experience.

List of North Carolina Public Colleges Ranked by Smallest Enrollment
College Enrollment

Salisbury, North Carolina

 7,028

Fayetteville, North Carolina

 7,107

Pembroke, North Carolina

 7,674

Winterville, North Carolina

 7,684

Durham, North Carolina

 8,579

Winston-Salem, North Carolina

 9,099

Jamestown, North Carolina

 11,485

Cullowhee, North Carolina

 11,686

Fayetteville, North Carolina

 11,755

Wilmington, North Carolina

 14,082

Greensboro, North Carolina

 14,311

Greensboro, North Carolina

 18,012

Wilmington, North Carolina

 18,848

Charlotte, North Carolina

 20,375

Boone, North Carolina

 21,570

Raleigh, North Carolina

 24,609

Greenville, North Carolina

 26,940

Charlotte, North Carolina

 31,091
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This list is updated annually based on the latest data from the National Center for Education Statistics.
Last updated: March 15, 2026

Data source: IPEDS 2025 survey for academic year 2024/2025 - National Center for Education Statistics.