2026 Best Forestry Schools in North Carolina
Forestry is a field worth a close look when choosing where to study. The schools below stand out for the quality of their forestry programs.
For its 2026 ranking, College Factual looked at 5 schools in the United States to determine which ones were the best for forestry students pursuing a degree.
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Best Schools for Forestry in North Carolina
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest overall forestry education in North Carolina.
Top Schools in Forestry
Leading the list is Duke University, our #1 school for forestry. This large private not-for-profit university is located in the city of Durham. The six-year graduation rate is 97%. There were roughly 13 forestry students who graduated with this degree at Duke University in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, forestry degree recipients from Duke University generally make around $83,388. Students borrow a median of $13,296 to complete this degree.
Read more about the forestry program at Duke University
North Carolina State University At Raleigh is a great choice for students pursuing a degree in forestry, landing the #2 spot this year. Located in the city of Raleigh, North Carolina State University At Raleigh is a very large public university. North Carolina State University At Raleigh graduates 85% of students within six years. North Carolina State University At Raleigh awarded about 114 forestry degrees in the most recent data year. Graduates of the forestry program make about $61,142 in their early career. Students borrow a median of $24,749 to complete this degree.
More information about a degree in forestry from North Carolina State University At Raleigh
A rank of #3 makes Wayne Community College one of the top schools for forestry. Located in the city of Goldsboro, Wayne Community College is a mid-sized public university. About 22 forestry degrees were awarded at Wayne Community College in the most recent year. Students who receive their forestry degree from Wayne Community College earn around $33,116 in the first couple years of their career. Typical student debt for the program is $5,500.
More information about a degree in forestry from Wayne Community College
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on a blend of student outcomes (graduation rate, post-graduation earnings), affordability, and program focus, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Top Ranked · 5 schools evaluated.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
