Best Value North Carolina Colleges

North Carolina has 34 colleges ranked by value, part of our national best value ranking. We weigh academic quality against average net price so you find schools that deliver strong results without overpaying.

Duke University offers the best value in North Carolina for 2027 with a 10 out of 10 academic rating and an average net price of $21,981. The top value public university is University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Also high value: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Wake Forest University and Davidson College.

Compare net price, aid, and academic ratings across the colleges below. See how value scores are calculated on our methodology page. Sort by net price, acceptance rate, or academic rating to find the best deal for your budget.

34 Results
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North Carolina Public Private 4 Year

  • Public 4 Year
  • Elizabeth City, NC
  • | 0 reviews
  • Jun 30 application deadline

ECSU is a public HBCU known for undergraduate aviation and teacher education. The campus is in the small coastal city of Elizabeth City in northeastern North Carolina.

#19 Best Value in North Carolina 3/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 920-1080
  • Avg GPA 3.16
  • Acceptance Rate 64%
  • Net Price $6,483

  • Public 4 Year
  • Fayetteville, NC
  • 4.3 | 3 reviews
  • Aug 1 application deadline

Fayetteville State is a public university known for undergraduate education, nursing, and business. It is a historically Black university in the University of North Carolina system.

#20 Best Value in North Carolina 3/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 890-1090
  • Avg GPA 3.11
  • Acceptance Rate 82%
  • Net Price $7,811

  • Private 4 Year
  • Boiling Springs, NC
  • 4.7 | 3 reviews

Gardner-Webb is a private Baptist university known for undergraduate nursing, education, and business. The residential campus sits in the small town of Boiling Springs in western North Carolina.

#21 Best Value in North Carolina 5/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 975-1198
  • Avg GPA 3.74
  • Acceptance Rate 77%
  • Net Price $20,016

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

Guilford is a private liberal arts college known for undergraduate peace and conflict studies. The Quaker-founded residential campus sits in Greensboro.

#22 Best Value in North Carolina 5/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1120-1260
  • Avg GPA 3.14
  • Acceptance Rate 80%
  • Net Price $22,270

  • Private 4 Year
  • Charlotte, NC
  • 4.5 | 2 reviews

Johnson C. Smith is a private historically Black university known for undergraduate business, computer science, and social work. The compact urban campus sits in Charlotte's historic West End.

#23 Best Value in North Carolina 3/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 800-980
  • Avg GPA 2.48
  • Acceptance Rate 45%
  • Net Price $19,705
Methodist University Campus
 

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

Methodist University is a private university known for undergraduate PGA golf management and business. The campus sits in Fayetteville near Fort Liberty.

#24 Best Value in North Carolina 5/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1080-1250
  • Avg GPA 3.58
  • Acceptance Rate 75%
  • Net Price $26,334
University of Mount Olive Campus
 

  • Private 4 Year
  • Mount Olive, NC
  • | 0 reviews

Mount Olive is a private Christian university known for undergraduate agriculture and business. The residential campus is in the small town of Mount Olive in eastern North Carolina.

#25 Best Value in North Carolina 3/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 990-1150
  • Avg GPA 2.85
  • Acceptance Rate 76%
  • Net Price $18,853

  • Public 4 Year
  • Greensboro, NC
  • 4.0 | 1 reviews
  • Jun 1 application deadline

NC A&T is a large public HBCU known for undergraduate engineering and agriculture. The urban campus is in Greensboro.

#26 Best Value in North Carolina 3/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1020-1190
  • Avg GPA 3.61
  • Acceptance Rate 50%
  • Net Price $10,097

  • Public 4 Year
  • Greensboro, NC
  • 5.0 | 1 reviews
  • Mar 1 application deadline

UNCG is a public university known for undergraduate nursing, education, and the performing arts. The urban campus is located in Greensboro.

#27 Best Value in North Carolina 5/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1150-1355
  • Avg GPA 3.59
  • Acceptance Rate 89%
  • Net Price $11,404

  • Public 4 Year
  • Durham, NC
  • 5.0 | 1 reviews
  • Aug 1 application deadline

NCCU is a public historically Black university known for undergraduate nursing, business, and criminal justice. The campus sits in Durham within North Carolina's Research Triangle.

#28 Best Value in North Carolina 3/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 980-1100
  • Avg GPA 3.27
  • Acceptance Rate 87%
  • Net Price $14,475
North Carolina Wesleyan University Campus
 

  • Private 4 Year
  • Rocky Mount, NC
  • | 0 reviews

North Carolina Wesleyan is a small private university known for undergraduate business, education, and criminal justice. The residential campus is located in Rocky Mount in eastern North Carolina.

#29 Best Value in North Carolina 3/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 860-1120
  • Avg GPA 3.2
  • Acceptance Rate 80%
  • Net Price $18,472

  • Public 4 Year
  • Pembroke, NC
  • 4.0 | 1 reviews
  • May 1 application deadline

UNC Pembroke is a public university known for undergraduate teacher education and nursing. The campus was founded to serve Native American students and remains closely tied to the Lumbee community.

#30 Best Value in North Carolina 4/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 970-1200
  • Avg GPA 3.44
  • Acceptance Rate 93%
  • Net Price $9,723

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

Wingate is a private university known for undergraduate programs in the health sciences, business, and education. The residential campus sits in a small town east of Charlotte.

#31 Best Value in North Carolina 4/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1010-1210
  • Avg GPA 3.33
  • Acceptance Rate 91%
  • Net Price $21,282

  • Public 4 Year
  • Winston-Salem, NC
  • | 0 reviews
  • Feb 15 application deadline

Winston-Salem State is a public historically Black university known for undergraduate nursing and health sciences. The urban campus is part of the University of North Carolina system.

#32 Best Value in North Carolina 4/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 830-1020
  • Avg GPA 3.01
  • Acceptance Rate 78%
  • Net Price $12,989

  • Public 4 Year
  • Cullowhee, NC
  • 4.6 | 10 reviews
  • Mar 1 application deadline

Western Carolina is a public university known for undergraduate education, nursing, and criminal justice. The campus sits in the Blue Ridge Mountains in Cullowhee.

#33 Best Value in North Carolina 5/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1080-1270
  • Avg GPA 3.44
  • Acceptance Rate 82%
  • Net Price $13,767
Johnson & Wales University Charlotte Campus
 

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

Johnson & Wales Charlotte is a private university known for undergraduate culinary arts, hospitality management, and business. The urban campus is located in uptown Charlotte.

#34 Best Value in North Carolina 4/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 880-1130
  • Avg GPA NA
  • Acceptance Rate 80%
  • Net Price $28,084