2026 Best Public Policy Schools in North Carolina

Public Policy is a field worth a close look when choosing where to study. While the number of schools offering the program varies, there are still top-quality ones to be found.

College Factual analyzed 5 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best public policy schools.

What’s on this page:

• Best Public Policy Schools in North Carolina

Best Schools for Public Policy in North Carolina

If you are not interested in a particular degree level and want to know which schools are the overall best at delivering an education for the public policy degrees they offer, see the list below.

Top Schools in Public Policy

1

Duke University
Durham, NC

Doctoral Degree Highest Degree Type

258 Public Policy Degrees Awarded

$72,813 Median Starting Salary

Leading the list is Duke University, our #1 school for public policy. Located in the city of Durham, Duke University is a large private not-for-profit university. The six-year graduation rate is 97%. About 258 public policy degrees were awarded at Duke University in the most recent year. Graduates of the public policy program make about $72,813 in their early career. Typical student debt for the program is $10,500. Get the full public policy details for Duke University

2

University Of North Carolina At Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC

Doctoral Degree Highest Degree Type

126 Public Policy Degrees Awarded

$48,252 Median Starting Salary

University Of North Carolina At Chapel Hill came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best public policy schools. University Of North Carolina At Chapel Hill is a very large public school located in the city of Chapel Hill. The six-year graduation rate is 91%. There were roughly 126 public policy students who graduated with this degree at University Of North Carolina At Chapel Hill in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, public policy degree recipients from University Of North Carolina At Chapel Hill generally make around $48,252. Students borrow a median of $15,000 to complete this degree. Get the full public policy details for University Of North Carolina At Chapel Hill

Notes and References

This list is compiled 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.