List: The Best Colleges In North Carolina According To US News

What are the best colleges in North Carolina? There's no perfect college because no one student wants or needs the exact same things. What makes a particular academic institution stand out to one person may be exactly what another doesn't want. And choosing which school that is can be a daunting task. Even creating a list of universities to visit and apply to can be overwhelming. That's why U.S. News creates its Best Colleges rankings each year. And last year they released their rankings for 2022-2023.

To create these rankings U.S. News analyzed over 1,850 colleges and placed them in four overall ranking categories. These include National Universities, Liberal Arts Colleges, Regional Universities, and Regional Colleges. The rankings in each category are based on factors that are indicative of academic quality. This includes such metrics as graduation rates and faculty resources.

So back to North Carolina. We've got some major recognizable names when it comes to universities. In, fact, in the sports world North Carolina has 4 undefeated college football teams right now 3 weeks into the season. Like many states, sports are a big driver for many of the dozens of colleges and universities across the state of North Carolina. It was a huge factor in my college selection. One that was the best decision I ever made. But returning to academics, North Carolina has options of all sizes including large research universities, midsize colleges, and small private liberal arts colleges. You can choose an institution in a big city, a small town, the mountains, or the beach.

Returning to college football for a moment, coincidental the top 4 national universities in North Carolina are those same 4 teams that are undefeated right now. Another interesting statistic is that our state is home to the number one overall regional university in the south. That's pretty awesome! Keep reading to see where your school made the list. First, you'll see the list of North Carolina National Universities, then Liberal Arts, and finally Regional Colleges/Universities.

Location: Durham, NC

Ranked #10 Nationally

Tuition: $63,054 (everyone)

Undergrad Enrollment: 6,883

Location: Chapel Hill, NC

#29 Nationally (TIE)

Tuition: $5,472 (in-state) $37,558 (out-of-state)

Undergrad Enrollment: 19,987

Location: Winston-Salem, NC

#29 Nationally (TIE)

Tuition: $62,128 (everyone)

Undergrad Enrollment: 5,472

Location: Raleigh, NC

#72 Nationally

Tuition: $9,128 (in-state) $30,869 (out-of-state)

Undergrad Enrollment: 26,505

Location: Elon, NC

#89 Nationally

Tuition: $42,241 (everyone)

Undergrad Enrollment: 6,302

Location: Wilmington, NC

#202 Nationally

Tuition: $7,238 (in-state) $21,858 (out-of-state)

Undergrad Enrollment: 14,488

Location: Greensboro, NC

#219 Nationally (TIE)

Tuition: $7,468 (in-state) $15,178 (out-of-state)

Undergrad Enrollment: 15,178

Location: Charlotte, NC

#219 Nationally (TIE)

Tuition: $7,214 (in-state) $21,338 (out-of-state)

Undergrad Enrollment: 24,116

Location: Greenville, NC

#234 Nationally (TIE)

Tuition: $7,297 (in-state) $23,574 (out-of-state)

Undergrad Enrollment: 22,463

Location: Cullowhee, NC

#263 Nationally

Tuition: $4,453 (in-state) $8,453 (out-of-state)

Undergrad Enrollment: 10,145

Location: Winston-Salem, NC

#285 Nationally

Tuition: $6,247 (everyone)

Undergrad Enrollment: 4,689

Location: Buies Creek, NC

#299 Nationally (TIE)

Tuition: $39,230 (everyone)

Undergrad Enrollment: 3,325

Location: Greensboro, NC

#299 Nationally (TIE)

Tuition: $6,733 (in-state) $20,243 (out-of-state)

Undergrad Enrollment: 11,596

Location: Davidson, NC

#15 Nationally for Liberal Arts

Tuition: $57,090 (everyone)

Undergrad Enrollment: 1,973

Location: Winston-Salem, NC

#124 Nationally for Liberal Arts

Tuition: $31,016 (everyone)

Undergrad Enrollment: 367

Location: Raleigh, NC

#130 Nationally for Liberal Arts

Tuition: $42,660 (everyone)

Undergrad Enrollment: 1,427

Location: Asheville, NC

#136 Nationally for Liberal Arts

Tuition: $7,380 (in-state) $24,728 (out-of-state)

Undergrad Enrollment: 3,233

Location: High Point, NC

#1 Regional College in the South

Tuition: $41,916 (everyone)

Undergrad Enrollment: 4,910

Location: Salisbury, NC

#5 Regional Colleges in the South

Tuition: $32,868 (everyone)

Undergrad Enrollment: 1,143

Location: Boone, NC

#6 Regional Universities in the South

Tuition: $7,970 (in-state) $23,974 (out-of-state)

Undergrad Enrollment: 18,555

Location: Charlotte, NC

#9 Regional Universities in the South (TIE)

Tuition: $40,830 (everyone)

Undergrad Enrollment: 1,440

Location: Wilson, NC

#14 Regional Colleges in the South (TIE)

Tuition: $34,400

Undergrad Enrollment: 1,150

Location: Belmont, NC

#14 Regional Colleges in the South (TIE)

Tuition: $18,500 (everyone)

Undergrad Enrollment: 1,507

Location: Charlotte, NC

#19 Regional Colleges in the South (TIE)

Tuition: $38,046

Undergrad Enrollment: 1,262

Location: Mars Hill, NC

#19 Regional Colleges in the South

Tuition: $36,557

Undergrad Enrollment: 1,025

Location: Banner Elk, NC

#21 Regional Colleges in the South

Tuition: $29,340

Undergrad Enrollment: 872

Location: Brevard, NC

#29 Regional Colleges in the South (TIE)

Tuition: $30,250

Undergrad Enrollment: 769

Location: Raleigh, NC

#29 Regional College in the South

Tuition: $32,450

Undergrad Enrollment: 742

Location: Elizabeth City, NC

#31 Regional Colleges in the South

Tuition: $4,047 (in-state) $8,047 (out-of-state)

Undergrad Enrollment: 1,956

Location: Hickory, NC

#41 Regional Universities in the South

Tuition: $43,000 (everyone)

Undergrad Enrollment: 1,579