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.
| # | College | Type | Acceptance | Avg SAT | Net price / yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Duke University Durham, NC | Private | 7% | 1,539 | $34,454 |
| 2 | Davidson College Davidson, NC | Private | 14% | 1,448 | $18,127 |
| 3 | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chapel Hill, NC | Public | 19% | 1,454 | $12,983 |
| 4 | Wake Forest University Winston-Salem, NC | Private | 22% | 1,469 | $28,746 |
| 5 | Shaw University Raleigh, NC | Private | 30% | — | $14,083 |
| 6 | University of North Carolina School of the Arts Winston Salem, NC | Public | 33% | 1,250 | $12,372 |
| 7 | Bennett College Greensboro, NC | Private | 34% | 890 | $22,858 |
| 8 | Carolina University Winston-Salem, NC | Private | 34% | — | $18,866 |
| 9 | Brevard College Brevard, NC | Private | 40% | 1,064 | $21,376 |
| 10 | North Carolina State University at Raleigh Raleigh, NC | Public | 40% | 1,380 | $16,931 |
| 11 | Johnson C Smith University Charlotte, NC | Private | 43% | — | $20,011 |
| 12 | North Carolina A & T State University Greensboro, NC | Public | 46% | 1,048 | $10,980 |
| 13 | Saint Augustine's University Raleigh, NC | Private | 59% | — | $17,740 |
| 14 | Montreat College Montreat, NC | Private | 66% | — | $26,328 |
| 15 | Elon University Elon, NC | Private | 67% | 1,222 | $41,048 |
| 16 | Queens University of Charlotte Charlotte, NC | Private | 68% | 1,223 | $27,786 |
| 17 | Winston-Salem State University Winston-Salem, NC | Public | 69% | 946 | $13,393 |
| 18 | Elizabeth City State University Elizabeth City, NC | Public | 70% | — | $7,237 |
| 19 | Chowan University Murfreesboro, NC | Private | 72% | 970 | $16,189 |
| 20 | University of North Carolina Wilmington Wilmington, NC | Public | 74% | 1,262 | $19,472 |
| 21 | Livingstone College Salisbury, NC | Private | 74% | — | $15,662 |
| 22 | Meredith College Raleigh, NC | Private | 75% | 1,224 | $20,197 |
| 23 | Methodist University Fayetteville, NC | Private | 75% | 1,201 | $24,978 |
| 24 | Mid-Atlantic Christian University Elizabeth City, NC | Private | 76% | — | $25,876 |
| 25 | High Point University High Point, NC | Private | 77% | 1,242 | $40,721 |
| 26 | Warren Wilson College Swannanoa, NC | Private | 78% | 1,290 | $23,719 |
| 27 | Catawba College Salisbury, NC | Private | 78% | 1,136 | $18,210 |
| 28 | University of Mount Olive Mount Olive, NC | Private | 78% | 1,020 | $17,893 |
| 29 | Mars Hill University Mars Hill, NC | Private | 78% | — | $20,313 |
| 30 | North Carolina Wesleyan University Rocky Mount, NC | Private | 78% | — | $18,165 |
| 31 | Fayetteville State University Fayetteville, NC | Public | 80% | 972 | $7,360 |
| 32 | University of North Carolina at Charlotte Charlotte, NC | Public | 80% | 1,202 | $14,745 |
| 33 | Lenoir-Rhyne University Hickory, NC | Private | 81% | — | $23,393 |
| 34 | Lees-McRae College Banner Elk, NC | Private | 81% | — | $25,765 |
| 35 | Guilford College Greensboro, NC | Private | 84% | 1,120 | $21,200 |
| 36 | Wingate University Wingate, NC | Private | 85% | 1,083 | $21,371 |
| 37 | Western Carolina University Cullowhee, NC | Public | 87% | 1,151 | $12,579 |
| 38 | Gardner-Webb University Boiling Springs, NC | Private | 87% | 1,146 | $24,137 |
| 39 | Salem College Winston-Salem, NC | Private | 87% | 1,168 | $18,835 |
| 40 | Appalachian State University Boone, NC | Public | 89% | 1,187 | $16,487 |
| 41 | University of North Carolina at Greensboro Greensboro, NC | Public | 90% | 1,187 | $10,170 |
| 42 | East Carolina University Greenville, NC | Public | 90% | 1,143 | $16,514 |
| 43 | Belmont Abbey College Belmont, NC | Private | 90% | 1,082 | $23,613 |
| 44 | North Carolina Central University Durham, NC | Public | 90% | 1,023 | $15,028 |
| 45 | Greensboro College Greensboro, NC | Private | 92% | — | $19,314 |
| 46 | University of North Carolina at Pembroke Pembroke, NC | Public | 92% | — | $9,918 |
| 47 | University of North Carolina Asheville Asheville, NC | Public | 94% | 1,247 | $12,865 |
| 48 | Campbell University Buies Creek, NC | Private | 94% | — | $23,991 |
| 49 | Pfeiffer University Misenheimer, NC | Private | 95% | — | $21,953 |
| 50 | Barton College Wilson, NC | Private | 96% | — | $23,665 |
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