Best North Carolina National Universities
Duke University ranked first and Wake Forest University ranked second in 2025 National Universities rankings in North Carolina. (Read our ranking methodology and know how to rank.)
The following list summarizes the core statistics for top 10 National Universities in North Carolina. You can check the schools in the comparison table below.
- The average undergraduate tuition & fees of the top 10 National Universities in North Carolina is $52,613.
- The average graduate tuition & fees of the top 10 National Universities in North Carolina is $42,487.
- The average SAT score is 1,465 and the average acceptance rate is 21.12%.
- The average number of students is 24,431 and the students to faculty ratio is 11 to 1.
- The average graduation rate is 90.50% and the transfer-out rate is 3.00%.
Best North Carolina National Universities Comparison Table
The following table shows Best North Carolina National Universities. You can sort the table by column by clicking/touching column titles and narrow down the college list by using buttons below.
| Rank | College Name | Undergraduate Tuition & Fees | Graduate Tuition & Fees | SAT Score | Acceptance Rate | Population | Graduation Rate | Student to Faculty Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Duke University Durham, NC | $68,758 | $66,523 | 1,540 | 6% | 17,499 | 97% | 5 to 1 |
| 2 | Wake Forest University Winston-Salem, NC | $67,642 | $39,141 | 1,470 | 22% | 9,322 | 89% | 10 to 1 |
| 3 | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chapel Hill, NC | $41,203 | $31,408 | 1,480 | 15% | 32,438 | 91% | 15 to 1 |
| 4 | North Carolina State University at Raleigh Raleigh, NC | $32,847 | $32,874 | 1,370 | 42% | 38,464 | 85% | 15 to 1 |
| 5 | Elon University Elon, NC | $46,958 | $22,086 | 1,200 | 66% | 7,239 | 84% | 11 to 1 |
| 6 | Campbell University Buies Creek, NC | $41,600 | $16,347 | - | 87% | 4,963 | 61% | 13 to 1 |
| 7 | Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary Wake Forest, NC | $11,318 | $6,516 | 1,110 | 75% | 3,220 | 58% | 9 to 1 |
| 8 | University of North Carolina at Charlotte Charlotte, NC | $22,492 | $23,072 | 1,250 | 80% | 31,091 | 69% | 21 to 1 |
| 9 | University of North Carolina Wilmington Wilmington, NC | $24,152 | $24,198 | 1,280 | 64% | 18,848 | 71% | 17 to 1 |
| 10 | North Carolina A & T State University Greensboro, NC | $20,673 | $21,168 | 1,100 | 50% | 14,311 | 57% | 20 to 1 |
| Average | $52,613 | $42,487 | 1,465 | 21% | 24,431 | 91% | 11 to 1 |
North Carolina Colleges by Ranking and School Type