2026 Best Research Universities in North Carolina

Name: 2026 Best Research Universities in North Carolina (Kollegio college rankings)
Creator: Kollegio
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

15 North Carolina schools ranked in Kollegio's 2026 Best Research Universities ranking, based on U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard data.

Showing 1–15 of 15 colleges · How we rank colleges

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Cost of attendance after aid

ⓘ

$77,180

Institution type

2 Year4 Year5 Year

Field of study

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Campus Detail

Institution setting

AllCitySuburbanRural

Undergraduate enrollment

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268763

Financial

Alumni starting salary

Tuition cost

ⓘ

$67,000

In-state tuition

ⓘ

Proportion of need based aid received

ⓘ

100%Clear Filter

International students received aid

ⓘ

100%

Average aid package

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$82,308

Application fee

ⓘ

$150

Academics

Mean GPA

ⓘ

Mean SAT

ⓘ

1200

Mean ACT

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#1 Best Research Universities

Duke University

Durham

Acceptance rate

6.8%

Institution type

UNIV

Total Tuition Cost

$58,085

Avg. Cost after Aid

$27,000

#2 Best Research Universities

Wake Forest University

Winston-Salem

Acceptance rate

21.6%

Institution type

UNIV

Total Tuition Cost

$58,708

Avg. Cost after Aid

$25,000

#3 Best Research Universities

University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill

Acceptance rate

15.3%

Institution type

UNIV

Total Tuition Cost

$7,019

Avg. Cost after Aid

$12,000

#4 Best Research Universities

North Carolina State University

Raleigh

Acceptance rate

39.9%

Institution type

UNIV

Total Tuition Cost

$6,535

Avg. Cost after Aid

$14,000

#5 Best Research Universities

Elon University

Elon

Acceptance rate

67.3%

Institution type

UPWG

Total Tuition Cost

$38,218

Avg. Cost after Aid

$40,000

#6 Best Research Universities

University of North Carolina - Wilmington

Wilmington

Acceptance rate

64.2%

Institution type

UNIV

Total Tuition Cost

$4,443

Avg. Cost after Aid

$19,000

#7 Best Research Universities

University of North Carolina - Charlotte

Charlotte

Acceptance rate

79.6%

Institution type

UNIV

Total Tuition Cost

$3,812

Avg. Cost after Aid

$16,000

#8 Best Research Universities

East Carolina University

Greenville

Acceptance rate

90.1%

Institution type

UNIV

Total Tuition Cost

$4,452

Avg. Cost after Aid

$15,000

#9 Best Research Universities

North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University

Greensboro

Acceptance rate

46.2%

Institution type

UNIV

Total Tuition Cost

$3,540

Avg. Cost after Aid

$9,000

#10 Best Research Universities

Western Carolina University

Cullowhee

Acceptance rate

86.7%

Institution type

COMP

Total Tuition Cost

$1,000

Avg. Cost after Aid

$12,579

#11 Best Research Universities

Campbell University

Buies Creek

Acceptance rate

94.3%

Institution type

UNIV

Total Tuition Cost

$35,580

Avg. Cost after Aid

$23,000

#12 Best Research Universities

Winston-Salem State University

Winston-Salem

Acceptance rate

68.5%

Institution type

UNIV

Total Tuition Cost

$3,401

Avg. Cost after Aid

$13,000

#13 Best Research Universities

University of North Carolina - Greensboro

Greensboro

Acceptance rate

88.5%

Institution type

UNIV

Total Tuition Cost

$4,422

Avg. Cost after Aid

$10,000

#14 Best Research Universities

Gardner-Webb University

Boiling Springs

Acceptance rate

87.0%

Institution type

UNIV

Total Tuition Cost

$31,220

Avg. Cost after Aid

$20,000

#15 Best Research Universities

Wingate University

Wingate

Acceptance rate

85.0%

Institution type

UNIV

Total Tuition Cost

$40,070

Avg. Cost after Aid

$19,000

2026 Best Research Universities in North Carolina

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