Find Grad Schools

Study Area & Zipcode

Best Schools in North Carolina

Find Schools Near

2023 Best Schools in North Carolina

30 Schools Ranked
$40,371 Average Earnings
$21,909 Avg Student Debt

With all the programs available today, it can be tough to choose which one is the best for you. With more and more schools offering online options, you could even register for a great program on the other side of the country. Or you may find the programs at a trade school or bootcamp to be a better alternative for you.

The Best Schools in North Carolina ranking is one of many tools that Grad Degree Search has developed to help you make your educational decision. Our analysis looked at 30 schools in North Carolina to see which programs offered the best educational experiences for students.

View our full ranking methodology.

Top Schools in North Carolina

Learn more about these excellent schools below:

#1

Duke University

Durham, North Carolina

Our analysis found Duke University to be the best school for students in North Carolina.

Read More…

#2

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill, North Carolina

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Best Schools in North Carolina list.

Read More…

#3

Wake Forest University

Winston-Salem, North Carolina

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Wake Forest University. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Best Schools in North Carolina list.

Read More…

#4

North Carolina State University

Raleigh, North Carolina

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend North Carolina State University. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Best Schools in North Carolina list.

Read More…

#5

Elon University

Elon, North Carolina

A rank of #5 on this year’s list means Elon University is a great place for students.

Read full report on Elon University

#6

High Point University

High Point, North Carolina

High Point University did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for students. It came in at #6 on the list.

Full High Point University Report

#7

Wingate University

Wingate, North Carolina

Wingate University came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Schools in North Carolina ranking.

Read More…

#8

Appalachian State University

Boone, North Carolina

With a ranking of #8, Appalachian State University did quite well on this year’s best schools for students working.

Read full report on Appalachian State University

#9

East Carolina University

Greenville, North Carolina

East Carolina University came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Schools in North Carolina ranking.

Full East Carolina University Report

#10

University of North Carolina at Charlotte

Charlotte, North Carolina

University of North Carolina at Charlotte ranked #10 on this year’s Best Schools in North Carolina list.

Full University of North Carolina at Charlotte Report

#11

Lenoir - Rhyne University

Hickory, North Carolina

With a ranking of #11, Lenoir - Rhyne University did quite well on this year’s best schools for students working.

Full Lenoir - Rhyne University Report

#12

Queens University of Charlotte

Charlotte, North Carolina

Queens University of Charlotte did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for students. It came in at #12 on the list.

Full Queens University of Charlotte Report

#13

Salem College

Winston-Salem, North Carolina

Salem College landed the #13 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best programs.

Full Salem College Report

#14

University of North Carolina at Wilmington

Wilmington, North Carolina

University of North Carolina at Wilmington did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for students. It came in at #14 on the list.

Read More…

#15

University of North Carolina at Greensboro

Greensboro, North Carolina

University of North Carolina at Greensboro came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Schools in North Carolina ranking.

Read More…

#16

Montreat College

Montreat, North Carolina

Montreat College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for students. It came in at #16 on the list.

Full Montreat College Report

#17

Campbell University

Buies Creek, North Carolina

With a ranking of #17, Campbell University did quite well on this year’s best schools for students working.

Read More…

#18

Pfeiffer University

Misenheimer, North Carolina

Pfeiffer University ranked #18 on this year’s Best Schools in North Carolina list.

Read full report on Pfeiffer University

#19

Gardner - Webb University

Boiling Springs, North Carolina

With a ranking of #19, Gardner - Webb University did quite well on this year’s best schools for students working.

Read full report on Gardner - Webb University

#20

Western Carolina University

Cullowhee, North Carolina

Western Carolina University came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Best Schools in North Carolina ranking.

Full Western Carolina University Report

#21

Winston - Salem State University

Winston-Salem, North Carolina

Winston - Salem State University did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for students. It came in at #21 on the list.

Read full report on Winston - Salem State University

#22

Methodist University

Fayetteville, North Carolina

With a ranking of #22, Methodist University did quite well on this year’s best schools for students working.

Read full report on Methodist University

#23

North Carolina A & T State University

Greensboro, North Carolina

With a ranking of #23, North Carolina A & T State University did quite well on this year’s best schools for students working.

Read More…

#24

University of Mount Olive

Mount Olive, North Carolina

With a ranking of #24, University of Mount Olive did quite well on this year’s best schools for students working.

Read full report on University of Mount Olive

#25

North Carolina Central University

Durham, North Carolina

North Carolina Central University ranked #25 on this year’s Best Schools in North Carolina list.

Full North Carolina Central University Report

View Best Schools Nationwide >

Notes and References

Footnotes

*These averages are for the top 25 schools only.

References

  • Read more about our ranking methodology.
  • The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) serves as the core of our data about colleges.
  • Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
  • Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.

More about our data sources and methodologies.

Featured Schools

Find Graduate Schools Near You

Our free school finder matches students with accredited graduate schools across the U.S.