GREENVILLE, N.C. (Stacker.com) — Choosing a college is one of the most important decisions a person will make for their education, impacting everything from future earnings and employment to potential student loan debt and social circles.
While every student wants to get the best education they possibly can, there are myriad considerations to take into account: location, size, diversity, areas of focus, study abroad opportunities—the list goes on. While best college lists are often topped with the same handful of expensive Ivy League schools, the U.S. is home to more than 4,000 degree-granting schools spread out across all 50 states and several territories, with amazing education offerings for students to consider.
Stacker compiled a list of the best four-year colleges in North Carolina using rankings from Niche. Tuition, student-to-faculty ratio, acceptance rate, and graduation rate are factors considered in deciding these rankings. Location is also often a key factor in a school’s appeal, whether it be a beachside location, one full of New England foliage, or proximity to tech hubs and companies like Microsoft, Apple, and Google. Online and unspecified location schools were excluded from the rankings. Keep reading to see the best schools in your state.
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#25. University of Mount Olive
– Acceptance rate: 62%
– Net price: $14,805
– Enrollment: 1,348 (17:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Overall Niche grade: B-
— Safety grade: A+
— Diversity grade: A
— Value grade: B
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#24. Fayetteville State University
– Acceptance rate: 79%
– Net price: $7,016
– Enrollment: 3,959 (15:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Overall Niche grade: B-
— Campus food grade: A
— Diversity grade: B+
— Party grade: B+
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#23. Campbell University
– Acceptance rate: 81%
– Net price: $26,299
– Enrollment: 3,098 (9:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Overall Niche grade: B-
— Diversity grade: A-
— Athletics grade: A-
— Safety grade: A-
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#22. Barton College
– Acceptance rate: 42%
– Net price: $24,111
– Enrollment: 1,003 (13:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Overall Niche grade: B-
— Diversity grade: A
— Athletics grade: B+
— Value grade: B
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#21. High Point University
– Acceptance rate: 77%
– Net price: $40,719
– Enrollment: 4,575 (14:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Overall Niche grade: B-
— Campus grade: A+
— Dorms grade: A+
— Campus food grade: A
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#20. Pfeiffer University
– Acceptance rate: 76%
– Net price: $22,121
– Enrollment: 769 (8:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Overall Niche grade: B-
— Diversity grade: B+
— Party grade: B+
— Value grade: B
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#19. Winston-Salem State University
– Acceptance rate: 73%
– Net price: $11,868
– Enrollment: 4,033 (14:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Overall Niche grade: B-
— Party grade: A
— Student life grade: B+
— Value grade: B
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#18. North Carolina A&T State University
– Acceptance rate: 57%
– Net price: $9,541
– Enrollment: 9,933 (18:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Overall Niche grade: B
— Party grade: A+
— Student life grade: A
— Athletics grade: A-
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#17. Gardner-Webb University
– Acceptance rate: 78%
– Net price: $20,363
– Enrollment: 1,726 (9:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Overall Niche grade: B
— Diversity grade: A
— Athletics grade: A-
— Safety grade: A-
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#16. University of North Carolina Asheville
– Acceptance rate: 79%
– Net price: $13,854
– Enrollment: 2,870 (12:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Overall Niche grade: B
— Location grade: A
— Diversity grade: A-
— Professors grade: A-
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#15. Meredith College
– Acceptance rate: 72%
– Net price: $25,357
– Enrollment: 1,468 (10:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Overall Niche grade: B
— Location grade: A-
— Student life grade: A-
— Diversity grade: B+
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#14. East Carolina University
– Acceptance rate: 88%
– Net price: $15,403
– Enrollment: 18,886 (14:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Overall Niche grade: B
— Party grade: A+
— Student life grade: A
— Diversity grade: A-
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#13. Queens University of Charlotte
– Acceptance rate: 68%
– Net price: $25,756
– Enrollment: 1,535 (9:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Overall Niche grade: B
— Location grade: A+
— Diversity grade: A
— Student life grade: A-
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#12. Elon University
– Acceptance rate: 72%
– Net price: $39,401
– Enrollment: 6,073 (12:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Overall Niche grade: B
— Campus grade: A
— Dorms grade: A
— Value grade: A-
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#11. Western Carolina University
– Acceptance rate: 48%
– Net price: $13,221
– Enrollment: 8,760 (15:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Overall Niche grade: B
— Academics grade: B+
— Value grade: B+
— Athletics grade: B+
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#10. University of North Carolina – Greensboro
– Acceptance rate: 88%
– Net price: $9,853
– Enrollment: 13,391 (15:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Overall Niche grade: B+
— Diversity grade: A
— Student life grade: A
— Campus grade: A-
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#9. University of North Carolina at Charlotte
– Acceptance rate: 80%
– Net price: $16,029
– Enrollment: 21,104 (18:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Overall Niche grade: B+
— Diversity grade: A
— Campus grade: A
— Campus food grade: A
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#8. University of North Carolina School of the Arts
– Acceptance rate: 36%
– Net price: $11,940
– Enrollment: 890 (5:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Overall Niche grade: B+
— Value grade: A+
— Diversity grade: A-
— Academics grade: B+
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#7. University of North Carolina – Wilmington
– Acceptance rate: 68%
– Net price: $17,946
– Enrollment: 11,989 (15:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Overall Niche grade: B+
— Campus grade: A
— Location grade: A
— Student life grade: A
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#6. Appalachian State University
– Acceptance rate: 80%
– Net price: $10,687
– Enrollment: 16,905 (15:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Overall Niche grade: B+
— Athletics grade: A+
— Campus grade: A
— Student life grade: A
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#5. North Carolina State University
– Acceptance rate: 46%
– Net price: $14,600
– Enrollment: 22,929 (12:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Overall Niche grade: A
— Student life grade: A+
— Academics grade: A
— Value grade: A
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#4. Wake Forest University
– Acceptance rate: 32%
– Net price: $26,324
– Enrollment: 5,391 (3:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Overall Niche grade: A+
— Academics grade: A+
— Value grade: A+
— Professors grade: A+
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#3. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
– Acceptance rate: 25%
– Net price: $10,038
– Enrollment: 18,505 (9:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Overall Niche grade: A+
— Academics grade: A+
— Value grade: A+
— Athletics grade: A+
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#2. Davidson College
– Acceptance rate: 20%
– Net price: $28,615
– Enrollment: 1,983 (9:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Overall Niche grade: A+
— Academics grade: A+
— Value grade: A+
— Professors grade: A+
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#1. Duke University
– Acceptance rate: 8%
– Net price: $26,932
– Enrollment: 6,838 (2:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Overall Niche grade: A+
— Academics grade: A+
— Value grade: A+
— Diversity grade: A+
