This page compares the best colleges in North Carolina with tuition, admission, and more academic facts (Ranking data from College Evaluator). For the academic year 2021-2022, Duke University rank first in the best North Carolina college ranking and Davidson College is placed in second.
Admission Comparison Between Best Colleges in North Carolina
4 public and 6 private schools rank in the best North Carolina colleges. The schools' average acceptance rate is 50.80% where Duke University has the tightest (lowest) acceptance rate of 8% and Salem College has the highest rate of 85%. Total 140,571 students are attending one of the best North Carolina schools where North Carolina State University at Raleigh has the largest population with 36,042 students and Salem College has the smallest number of students (636 students). The average graduation rate is 81.30% and the average students to faculty ratio is 11.90:1 at those colleges.
| Rank | Name | Acceptance Rate | SAT Score | Graduation Rate | Population | Student-Faculty Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Duke University Durham, NC | 8% | 1,520 | 96% | 16,172 | 6:1 (16.67 %) |
| 2 | Davidson College Davidson, NC | 20% | 1,380 | 93% | 1,983 | 9:1 (11.11 %) |
| 3 | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chapel Hill, NC | 25% | 1,385 | 91% | 30,092 | 13:1 (7.69 %) |
| 4 | North Carolina State University at Raleigh Raleigh, NC | 46% | 1,320 | 84% | 36,042 | 14:1 (7.14 %) |
| 5 | Wake Forest University Winston-Salem, NC | 32% | - | 89% | 8,789 | 10:1 (10.00 %) |
| 6 | Elon University Elon, NC | 72% | 1,230 | 83% | 7,117 | 12:1 (8.33 %) |
| 7 | Salem College Winston-Salem, NC | 85% | 1,077 | 66% | 636 | 11:1 (9.09 %) |
| 8 | Meredith College Raleigh, NC | 72% | 1,104 | 64% | 1,802 | 11:1 (9.09 %) |
| 9 | University of North Carolina Wilmington Wilmington, NC | 68% | 1,235 | 74% | 17,915 | 17:1 (5.88 %) |
| 10 | Appalachian State University Boone, NC | 80% | 1,155 | 73% | 20,023 | 16:1 (6.25 %) |
| Average | 50.80% | 1,267 | 81.30% | 140,571 (Total) | 11.90:1 (8.40 %) |
Best North Carolina Colleges 2022 Tuition Comparison and 2023 Estimated Costs
The following table lists 2021-2022 tuition & fees and compares them between the best North Carolina colleges. The 2021-2022 costs are officially published by IPEDS, U.S. Department of Education. The estimated costs for the academic year 2022-2023 are calculated and estimated based on each school's rate of tuition change from 2021 to 2022.
For the undergraduate programs, the average tuition & fees of the best North Carolina colleges is $39,656 where Duke University has the most expensive costs at $60,244 and University of North Carolina Wilmington has the lowest amount of tuition at $21,303. The average graduate tuition & fees of the best North Carolina colleges is $27,076 where Duke University has the highest tuition with $59,141 and Salem College has the lowest amount of graduate school tuition with $8,220.
| Rank | School Name | 2022 Tuition & Fees | 2023 Estimated Tuition & Fees | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| In-State | Out-of-State | In-State | Out-of-State | ||
| 1 | Duke University | $60,244 | $62,973 | ||
| 2 | Davidson College | $55,200 | $55,225 | ||
| 3 | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | $9,028 | $36,891 | $9,076 | $37,638 |
| 4 | North Carolina State University at Raleigh | $9,131 | $29,916 | $9,161 | $30,629 |
| 5 | Wake Forest University | $59,770 | $61,850 | ||
| 6 | Elon University | $38,725 | $39,546 | ||
| 7 | Salem College | $30,266 | - | ||
| 8 | Meredith College | $41,224 | $42,536 | ||
| 9 | University of North Carolina Wilmington | $7,238 | $21,303 | $7,295 | $21,360 |
| 10 | Appalachian State University | $7,410 | $23,017 | $7,410 | $23,846 |
| Average | $8,202 | $39,656 | $8,236 | $41,734 | |
| Rank | School Name | 2022 Tuition & Fees | 2023 Estimated Tuition & Fees | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| In-State | Out-of-State | In-State | Out-of-State | ||
| 1 | Duke University | $59,141 | $59,142 | ||
| 2 | Davidson College | - | - | ||
| 3 | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | $12,566 | $30,858 | $12,566 | $12,610 |
| 4 | North Carolina State University at Raleigh | $11,703 | $29,690 | $11,703 | $11,733 |
| 5 | Wake Forest University | $39,240 | $39,264 | ||
| 6 | Elon University | $18,828 | $19,233 | ||
| 7 | Salem College | $8,220 | - | ||
| 8 | Meredith College | $13,344 | $14,815 | ||
| 9 | University of North Carolina Wilmington | $7,514 | $21,343 | $7,514 | $7,571 |
| 10 | Appalachian State University | $8,007 | $23,017 | $8,007 | $8,007 |
| Average | $9,948 | $27,076 | $9,980 | $30,055 | |