Lens covers 33 four-year colleges in North Carolina, 15 public and 18 private. They range from Greensboro College (708 undergraduates) to North Carolina State University at Raleigh (27,371). Acceptance rates run from 6% to 93%, and 26 of the 33 admit at least half of applicants.
Open these 33 colleges in the College Filter → Narrow them by cost at your rate, majors, size and more.
The 33 four-year colleges in North Carolina
Listed A to Z. Lens never ranks colleges.
| College | Location | Undergraduates | Acceptance rate | Tuition & fees (before aid) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Appalachian State University | Boone | 19,444 | 90% | $7,579 in-state · $25,212 out-of-state |
| Belmont Abbey College | Belmont | 1,276 | 75% | $19,500 |
| Campbell University | Buies Creek | 2,680 | 87% | $41,600 |
| Catawba College | Salisbury | 1,235 | 75% | $34,300 |
| Davidson College | Davidson | 1,867 | 13% | $64,410 |
| Duke University | Durham | 6,442 | 6% | $68,758 |
| East Carolina University | Greenville | 19,896 | 89% | $7,361 in-state · $23,638 out-of-state |
| Elizabeth City State University | Elizabeth City | 1,975 | 64% | $6,536 in-state · $10,536 out-of-state |
| Elon University | Elon | 6,452 | 66% | $46,958 |
| Fayetteville State University | Fayetteville | 5,762 | 82% | $4,353 in-state · $8,353 out-of-state |
| Gardner-Webb University | Boiling Springs | 1,856 | 77% | $34,760 |
| Greensboro College | Greensboro | 708 | 70% | $21,000 |
| Guilford College | Greensboro | 1,001 | 80% | $41,362 |
| High Point University | High Point | 5,129 | 75% | $45,312 |
| Johnson & Wales University–Charlotte | Charlotte | 1,184 | 80% | $42,419 |
| Johnson C Smith University | Charlotte | 1,244 | 45% | $21,300 |
| Lenoir-Rhyne University | Hickory | 1,359 | 85% | $31,900 |
| Livingstone College | Salisbury | 924 | 59% | $18,296 |
| North Carolina A & T State University | Greensboro | 12,182 | 50% | $6,813 in-state · $20,673 out-of-state |
| North Carolina Central University | Durham | 6,081 | 87% | $6,699 in-state · $19,735 out-of-state |
| North Carolina State University at Raleigh | Raleigh | 27,371 | 42% | $8,799 in-state · $32,847 out-of-state |
| Queens University of Charlotte | Charlotte | 1,211 | 62% | $45,846 |
| Shaw University | Raleigh | 875 | 80% | $17,538 |
| University of North Carolina Wilmington | Wilmington | 14,922 | 64% | $7,277 in-state · $24,152 out-of-state |
| University of North Carolina at Asheville | Asheville | 2,910 | 92% | $7,501 in-state · $24,849 out-of-state |
| University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | Chapel Hill | 20,752 | 15% | $8,994 in-state · $41,203 out-of-state |
| University of North Carolina at Charlotte | Charlotte | 24,453 | 80% | $7,239 in-state · $22,492 out-of-state |
| University of North Carolina at Greensboro | Greensboro | 14,062 | 89% | $7,661 in-state · $24,012 out-of-state |
| University of North Carolina at Pembroke | Pembroke | 5,330 | 93% | $3,648 in-state · $7,648 out-of-state |
| Wake Forest University | Winston-Salem | 5,485 | 22% | $67,642 |
| Western Carolina University | Cullowhee | 10,024 | 82% | $4,630 in-state · $8,630 out-of-state |
| Wingate University | Wingate | 2,668 | 91% | $41,636 |
| Winston-Salem State University | Winston-Salem | 4,170 | 78% | $6,126 in-state · $16,782 out-of-state |
Sources: IPEDS (fall 2024 enrollment and admissions); College Scorecard (published tuition and fees before aid, about 2023–24). You may pay less if receiving grants or scholarships.
Related lists
- Colleges in Alabama
- Colleges in Washington, D.C.
- Colleges in Florida
- Colleges in Georgia
- Colleges in Kentucky
- Colleges in Maryland
- Colleges in Mississippi
- Colleges in South Carolina
- Colleges in Tennessee
- Colleges in Virginia
- Liberal Arts Colleges in the Southeast
- Large Public Universities in the Southeast
- Smaller Public Universities in the Southeast
- Smaller Private Universities in the Southeast
- HBCUs in the Southeast
- Catholic Colleges in the Southeast
- Christian Colleges in the Southeast
- Colleges with Big-Time Sports in the Southeast
FAQ
Which four-year colleges in North Carolina admit at least half of applicants? 26 of the 33: Appalachian State University, Belmont Abbey College, Campbell University, Catawba College, East Carolina University, Elizabeth City State University, Elon University, Fayetteville State University, Gardner-Webb University, Greensboro College, Guilford College, High Point University and 14 more (fall 2024).
What are the largest and smallest four-year colleges in North Carolina? North Carolina State University at Raleigh is the largest, with 27,371 undergraduates, and Greensboro College is the smallest, with 708 (fall 2024).
How many four-year colleges in North Carolina are public? 15 of the 33 are public and 18 are private.
Where these numbers come from
Lens covers the 850 four-year public and private nonprofit colleges that receive the most applications, so some smaller colleges are not listed. Enrollment, acceptance rates and degrees come from IPEDS (U.S. Department of Education, fall 2024); published prices from the College Scorecard. Each college's page lists its own sources. See the data behind Lens.