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Most selective colleges in North Carolina

50 colleges ranked by acceptance rate

These 50 most selective colleges in North Carolina, ranked by acceptance rate, run from 7% at Duke University to 96% at Barton College. 16 are public and 34 are private.

#CollegeTypeAcceptanceAvg SATNet price / yr
1Duke University
Durham, NC
Private7%1,539$34,454
2Davidson College
Davidson, NC
Private14%1,448$18,127
3University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC
Public19%1,454$12,983
4Wake Forest University
Winston-Salem, NC
Private22%1,469$28,746
5Shaw University
Raleigh, NC
Private30%$14,083
6University of North Carolina School of the Arts
Winston Salem, NC
Public33%1,250$12,372
7Bennett College
Greensboro, NC
Private34%890$22,858
8Carolina University
Winston-Salem, NC
Private34%$18,866
9Brevard College
Brevard, NC
Private40%1,064$21,376
10North Carolina State University at Raleigh
Raleigh, NC
Public40%1,380$16,931
11Johnson C Smith University
Charlotte, NC
Private43%$20,011
12North Carolina A & T State University
Greensboro, NC
Public46%1,048$10,980
13Saint Augustine's University
Raleigh, NC
Private59%$17,740
14Montreat College
Montreat, NC
Private66%$26,328
15Elon University
Elon, NC
Private67%1,222$41,048
16Queens University of Charlotte
Charlotte, NC
Private68%1,223$27,786
17Winston-Salem State University
Winston-Salem, NC
Public69%946$13,393
18Elizabeth City State University
Elizabeth City, NC
Public70%$7,237
19Chowan University
Murfreesboro, NC
Private72%970$16,189
20University of North Carolina Wilmington
Wilmington, NC
Public74%1,262$19,472
21Livingstone College
Salisbury, NC
Private74%$15,662
22Meredith College
Raleigh, NC
Private75%1,224$20,197
23Methodist University
Fayetteville, NC
Private75%1,201$24,978
24Mid-Atlantic Christian University
Elizabeth City, NC
Private76%$25,876
25High Point University
High Point, NC
Private77%1,242$40,721
26Warren Wilson College
Swannanoa, NC
Private78%1,290$23,719
27Catawba College
Salisbury, NC
Private78%1,136$18,210
28University of Mount Olive
Mount Olive, NC
Private78%1,020$17,893
29Mars Hill University
Mars Hill, NC
Private78%$20,313
30North Carolina Wesleyan University
Rocky Mount, NC
Private78%$18,165
31Fayetteville State University
Fayetteville, NC
Public80%972$7,360
32University of North Carolina at Charlotte
Charlotte, NC
Public80%1,202$14,745
33Lenoir-Rhyne University
Hickory, NC
Private81%$23,393
34Lees-McRae College
Banner Elk, NC
Private81%$25,765
35Guilford College
Greensboro, NC
Private84%1,120$21,200
36Wingate University
Wingate, NC
Private85%1,083$21,371
37Western Carolina University
Cullowhee, NC
Public87%1,151$12,579
38Gardner-Webb University
Boiling Springs, NC
Private87%1,146$24,137
39Salem College
Winston-Salem, NC
Private87%1,168$18,835
40Appalachian State University
Boone, NC
Public89%1,187$16,487
41University of North Carolina at Greensboro
Greensboro, NC
Public90%1,187$10,170
42East Carolina University
Greenville, NC
Public90%1,143$16,514
43Belmont Abbey College
Belmont, NC
Private90%1,082$23,613
44North Carolina Central University
Durham, NC
Public90%1,023$15,028
45Greensboro College
Greensboro, NC
Private92%$19,314
46University of North Carolina at Pembroke
Pembroke, NC
Public92%$9,918
47University of North Carolina Asheville
Asheville, NC
Public94%1,247$12,865
48Campbell University
Buies Creek, NC
Private94%$23,991
49Pfeiffer University
Misenheimer, NC
Private95%$21,953
50Barton College
Wilson, NC
Private96%$23,665

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