Duke University and the University of North Carolina—Chapel Hill are two campuses in North Carolina that have a storied basketball rivalry. Many of North Carolina’s dozens of colleges and universities place a strong emphasis on sports.
Best Colleges In North Carolina 2021, large research universities, midrange colleges, and small private liberal arts colleges are among the higher education alternatives available to North Carolina students. In addition, several public schools and universities are located in places such as Charlotte, Greenville, Greensboro, Wilmington, Durham, Asheville, and Raleigh, the state capital.
The Best Colleges In North Carolina 2021
10. Campbell University
Campbell University is a private university in Buies Creek, North Carolina. Admission at Campbell University is competitive, with an acceptance rate of 81 percent. Half of Campbell’s admitted students have an SAT score of 1010 to 1210 or an ACT score of 19 to 25.
9. UNC Greensboro
The University of North Carolina at Greensboro is a public research university in Greensboro, North Carolina. Admission to UNC Greensboro is competitive, with an acceptance rate of 88%. Half of the Greensboro candidates had an SAT score of 980 to 1160 or an ACT score of 19 to 25.
8. University of North Carolina at Charlotte
The University of North Carolina at Charlotte is a public research university in Charlotte, North Carolina. With an acceptance rate of 80% and an early acceptance rate of 87 percent, UNC-Charlotte admissions are more selective. Half of UNC Charlotte’s admitted students have an SAT score of 1100 to 1280 or an ACT score of 22 to 27.
7. East Carolina University
East Carolina University is a public research university in Greenville, North Carolina. With an acceptance rate of 88%, ESC admissions are highly selective. Half of East Carolina’s admitted students had an SAT score of 1000 to 1160 or an ACT score of 19 to 24.
6. University of North Carolina Wilmington
The University of North Carolina Wilmington is a public research university in Wilmington, North Carolina. Admissions to the University of North Carolina at Wilmington are more selective, with a 68 percent acceptance rate. Half of UNC Wilmington’s admitted students had an SAT score of 1160 to 1310 or an ACT score of 23 to 27.
5. Elon University
Elon University is a private university in Elon, North Carolina. EU admissions are more selective, with a 72 percent acceptance rate and a 67.6% early acceptance rate. Elon accepts half of its applications with an SAT score of 1140 to 1320 or an ACT score of 25 to 30.
4. North Carolina State University
North Carolina State University is a public land-grant research university in Raleigh, North Carolina. NCSU admissions are more selective, with a 46 percent acceptance rate and a 47.2 percent early acceptance rate. The SAT score ranges from 1230 to 1410, while the ACT score ranges from 27 to 32 for half of the applicants admitted to NCSU.
3. Wake Forest University
Wake Forest University is a private research university in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. With a 32 percent acceptance rate, WFU admissions are the most selective. Half of Wake Forest’s admitted students had an SAT score of 1290-1470 or an ACT score of 30 to 33.
2. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is a public research university in Chapel Hill, UNC admissions are most selective with an acceptance rate of 24% and an early acceptance rate of 30.1%. Half the applicants admitted to UNC have an SAT score between 1270 and 1470 or an ACT score of 27 and 33.
1. Duke University
Duke University is a private research university in Durham, North Carolina. With an acceptance rate of only 8%, Duke admissions are the most selective. Half of Duke’s admitted students had an SAT score of 1470 to 1570 or an ACT score of 34 to 35.
Read more about the Best Colleges In North Carolina 2021 ON University Magazine Ranking.
