by our College Data Analytics TeamThere are lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our Top North Carolina Colleges ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.
We analyzed 93 colleges and universities across North Carolina to determine which were the best in terms of overall quality. Instead of depending on subjective information, we focus on over 20 objective factors to determine this ranking. These factors include such things as student-to-faculty ratio, average graduate earnings, and graduation rate.
See what other factors we include in our ranking methodology.
Since one ranking on its own is not enough to give you a complete understanding of your educational options, you can refine this list by location and field of study. We've also developed a number of other tools and rankings based on other factors. These other rankings highlight colleges that excel in other factors such as value or diversity as well as schools that excel in serving different groups of students such as veterans or returnings adults.
You can create your own custom comparison that focuses on the factors most important to you using our tool, College Combat. Test it out by comparing your favorite schools against others you are considering!
Learn more about these excellent schools below: Our analysis found Duke University to be the best school for overall quality in North Carolina in this year’s ranking. Since the school has a student-to-faculty rate of 6 to 1, those pursuing a bachelor’s degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. During the early years of their career, graduates from Duke make an average of $97,800 a year. Out of the 93 schools in North Carolina that were part of this year’s ranking, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill landed the #2 spot on the list. The school boasts an average 4-year graduation rate of 85%, which is excellent when compared to the national rate of 33%. Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from UNC Chapel Hill go into careers with an average salary of $72,200 during the early years of their career. A rank of #3 on our Best Colleges in North Carolina list means Wake Forest University is a great place for students working on their bachelor’s degree. Bachelor’s degree students at the school tend to finish their degree on-time. The 4-year graduation rate is 85%, which is impressive compared to the national rate of 33%. Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from Wake Forest University go into careers with an average salary of $78,158 during the early years of their career. You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend North Carolina State University. The school came in at #4 in North Carolina on this year’s overall quality ranking. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. During the early years of their career, graduates from NC State make an average of $68,758 a year. A rank of #5 on our Best Colleges in North Carolina list means Elon University is a great place for students working on their bachelor’s degree. The 4-year grad rate at the school is 79%. That’s impressive when you compare it to the national rate of 33%. Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from Elon make an average of $74,545 per year during the early years of their career.1
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With a ranking of #6, Johnson & Wales University - Charlotte did quite well on the 2025 Best Colleges in North Carolina list.
During the early years of their career, graduates from JWU Charlotte make an average of $43,418 a year.
East Carolina University landed the #7 spot on the 2025 Best Colleges in North Carolina ranking. The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from ECU is $55,146 during the early years of their career. Mitchell Community College did quite well in the 2025 Best Colleges in North Carolina ranking, coming in at #8. The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from Mitchell Community College is $33,298 during the early years of their career. Alamance Community College came in at #9 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges in North Carolina ranking. Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $34,241 during the early years of their career.. University of North Carolina at Charlotte came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges in North Carolina ranking. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $57,289 during the early years of their career..7
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Appalachian State University came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges in North Carolina ranking.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $51,836 during the early years of their career..
University of North Carolina at Wilmington did quite well in the 2025 Best Colleges in North Carolina ranking, coming in at #12. The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from UNCW is $54,967 during the early years of their career. Read full report on University of North Carolina at Wilmington Surry Community College came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges in North Carolina ranking. Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from Surry Community College make an average of $36,012 per year during the early years of their career. Wake Technical Community College did quite well in the 2025 Best Colleges in North Carolina ranking, coming in at #14. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from Wake Technical Community College is $41,769 during the early years of their career. Gaston College ranked #15 on this year’s Best Colleges in North Carolina list. Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from Gaston College make an average of $35,386 per year during the early years of their career.12
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Randolph Community College ranked #16 on this year’s Best Colleges in North Carolina list.
The impressive student-to-faculty rate of 9 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from Randolph Community College make an average of $33,336 per year during the early years of their career.
University of North Carolina at Greensboro did quite well in the 2025 Best Colleges in North Carolina ranking, coming in at #17. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from UNC Greensboro go into careers with an average salary of $48,160 during the early years of their career. Central Piedmont Community College landed the #18 spot on the 2025 Best Colleges in North Carolina ranking. The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from Central Piedmont Community College is $37,865 during the early years of their career. Richmond Community College landed the #19 spot on the 2025 Best Colleges in North Carolina ranking. Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from Richmond Community College go into careers with an average salary of $29,951 during the early years of their career. High Point University landed the #20 spot on the 2025 Best Colleges in North Carolina ranking. During the early years of their career, graduates from High Point make an average of $61,389 a year.17
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Lenoir Community College landed the #21 spot on the 2025 Best Colleges in North Carolina ranking.
The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from Lenoir Community College is $33,866 during the early years of their career.
Rockingham Community College ranked #22 on this year’s Best Colleges in North Carolina list. Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $32,480 during the early years of their career.. Brunswick Community College came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges in North Carolina ranking. Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $36,668 during the early years of their career.. Guilford Technical Community College did quite well in the 2025 Best Colleges in North Carolina ranking, coming in at #24. Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $33,934 during the early years of their career.. Catawba Valley Community College ranked #25 on this year’s Best Colleges in North Carolina list. Since the school has a student-to-faculty rate of 9 to 1, those pursuing a bachelor’s degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from CVCC make an average of $36,977 per year during the early years of their career.22232425
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Footnotes
*These averages are for the top 25 schools only.
References
More about our data sources and methodologies.