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North Carolina Central University: Rankings, Admissions, Cost & Majors

4 awards Ranking Badges
Fair Price Value for Your Money
87% Acceptance Rate

North Carolina Central University is a public institution in Durham, North Carolina enrolling 6,081 undergraduates. It accepts 87% of applicants and has an on-time graduation rate of 42%, above the national average of 33%. College Factual ranks it #2,267 of 5,159 colleges nationwide in its 2027 Best Colleges ranking (top 44%), and its Value for Your Money analysis rates it a Fair Price.

Source: IPEDS 2025; College Scorecard July 2026; College Factual rankings 2027. Data as of: July 2026.

How Is North Carolina Central University Ranked?

North Carolina Central University ranks #2,267 of 5,159 colleges nationwide in College Factual’s 2027 Best Colleges ranking, placing it in the top 44%.

#2,267 Best Colleges in Nation
#64 Best Colleges in NC
North Carolina Central University ranking badge

2027 Rankings

In its yearly rankings, College Factual analyzes over 2,000 colleges and universities to determine which ones are the best in a variety of categories, such as overall value, quality, diversity, which schools are the best for each major, and much more.

North Carolina Central University was awarded 4 badges in the 2027 rankings.

Overall Quality

North Carolina Central University is ranked #2,267 out of 5,159 schools in the nation for overall quality on College Factual’s 2027 Best Colleges list.

Within the state, North Carolina Central University holds the #64 spot on the Best Colleges in North Carolina ranking.

See all of the rankings for North Carolina Central University.

Is It Hard to Get Into North Carolina Central University?

87% Acceptance Rate
88% Of Accepted Are Women

Acceptance Rate

North Carolina Central University has an acceptance rate of 87%, so it is easier to gain admission to this school than some others. Still, the admissions staff will examine your application closely to make sure you’re a good fit for North Carolina Central University.

Average Test Scores

North Carolina Central University received ACT scores from 3% of accepted students. When looking at the 25th through the 75th percentile, ACT Composite scores ranged between 19 and 22.

ACT Composite Scores for North Carolina Central University  ( 19 to 22 )
1
36

Learn more about North Carolina Central University admissions.

What Is the Student-to-Faculty Ratio at North Carolina Central University?

16 to 1 Student to Faculty
68% Full Time Teachers

Student to Faculty Ratio

The student to faculty ratio at North Carolina Central University is about average at 16 to 1. This ratio is often used to gauge how many students might be in an average class and how much time professors will have to spend with their students on an individual level. The national average for this metric is 15 to 1.

Percent of Full-Time Faculty

In addition to the student to faculty ratio, some people look at what percentage of faculty members are full-time as a sign of how much time professors will be able to spend with their students. This is because part-time teachers may not be on campus as much as their full-time counterparts.

The full-time faculty percentage at North Carolina Central University is 68%. This is higher than the national average of 47%.

Full-Time Faculty Percent  68 out of 100
0
100

What Are the Graduation and Retention Rates at North Carolina Central University?

73% Freshmen Retention
42% On-Time Graduation Rate

Freshmen Retention Rate

The freshmen retention rate tells us what percentage of first-year, full-time students choose to continue on to their sophomore year at a particular school. The rate at North Carolina Central University is 73%, which is about average when compared to the national rate of 68%.

Freshmen Retention Rate  73 out of 100
0
100

Graduation Rate

Students are considered to have graduated on time if they finish their studies within four years. At North Carolina Central University the on-time graduation rate of first-time, full-time students is 42%. That is great when compared to the national average of 33.3%.

On-Time Graduation Rate  42 out of 100
0
100

Find out more about the retention and graduation rates at North Carolina Central University.

How Diverse Is North Carolina Central University?

6,081 Undergraduate Students
93.6% Racial-Ethnic Minorities*
69.9% Percent Women

The current enrollment includes 6,081 undergraduates at North Carolina Central University.

Get more detailed information on the diversity at North Carolina Central University.

How Much Does North Carolina Central University Cost?

$17,140 Net Price
63% Take Out Loans
$27,708 Total Student Loans

The overall average net price of North Carolina Central University is $17,140. The affordability of the school largely depends on your financial need since net price varies by income group. See the table below for the net price for different income groups.

Net Price by Income Group for North Carolina Central University

$0-30 K $30K-48K $48-75 $75-110K $110K +
$13,032 $13,882 $17,527 $22,401 $23,658

The net price is calculated by adding tuition, room, board and other costs and subtracting financial aid. Note that the net price is typically less than the published price for a school. For more information on the sticker price of North Carolina Central University, see our tuition and fees and room and board pages.

Student Loan Debt

Almost 66% of college students who graduated with the class of 2018 took out student loans, but that percentage varies from school to school. At North Carolina Central University, approximately 63% of students took out student loans averaging $6,927 a year. That adds up to $27,708 over four years for those students. The student loan default rate is 14.3%. This is higher than the national default rate of 10.1% so you should proceed with caution when taking out student loans. Get more details about paying for North Carolina Central University.

How Much Do North Carolina Central U Graduates Earn?

$42,968 Avg Salary of Grads
Low Earnings Boost

Although some majors pay more than others, students who graduate from North Carolina Central University with a bachelor’s degree go on to jobs where they make an average salary of $42,968 in their early years. This is about 13% less than the average pay for college graduates overall. However, graduates with your major may make more. Average Salary for North Carolina Central University Graduates

See which majors at North Carolina Central University make the most money.

Where Is North Carolina Central University Located?

North Carolina State
6,081 Undergraduate Students
Large City Campus Setting

North Carolina Central University is a public institution located in Durham, North Carolina. The location of the school is great for students who enjoy the amenities of city life. Get more details about the location of North Carolina Central University.

Location of North Carolina Central University

Contact information for North Carolina Central University are listed below.

Contact Details
Address: 1801 Fayetteville Street, Durham, NC 27707
Phone: 9195306100
Website: www.nccu.edu
Wikipedia: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Carolina_Central_University
Facebook: www.facebook.com/nccentraluniv
Twitter: www.twitter.com/nccu

What Majors Does North Carolina Central University Offer?

22 Majors With Completions
3,276 Undergraduate Degrees

In the most recent reporting year, students from 22 majors graduated from North Carolina Central University. The following table lists the most popular undergraduate majors along with the average salary graduates from those majors make.

Most Popular Majors Completions Average Salary of Graduates
Multi-Disciplinary Studies 1,638 NA
Business Administration & Management 157 $34,240
Law 135 $43,827
Criminal Justice & Corrections 128 $32,114
General Social Sciences 119 $27,129
General Psychology 110 $30,123
Social Work 103 $36,072
Teacher Education Grade Specific 85 $37,700
Library & Information Science 78 $40,574
General Biology 66 $28,377

Learn more about the majors offered at North Carolina Central University along with which ones have the highest average starting salaries.

Does North Carolina Central University Offer Online Classes?

85% Take At Least One Class Online
20% Take All Classes Online

5,198 students took at least one online class at North Carolina Central University.

Online learning is becoming popular at even the oldest colleges and universities in the United States. Not only are online classes great for returning adults with busy schedules, they are also frequented by a growing number of traditional students.

Learn more about online learning at North Carolina Central University.

Interested in comparing North Carolina Central University? Pit them head to head with College Combat, our free interactive tool that lets you compare colleges on the features that matter most to you.

Notes and References

Footnotes

*The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students, international students, and students whose race/ethnicity was unknown. This number is then divided by the total number of students at the school to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

References

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