North Carolina takes higher education seriously, and as a result, the Tar Heel State is home to excellent schools.

Five North Carolina universities are in the top eight schools in the southern region of the United States, and several others have earned prestigious rankings among the best liberal arts colleges and best universities in the nation.

Here are the 2022 best colleges and universities in North Carolina:

Duke University – Duke is 8th in the nation among nationally-ranked universities. This private school has ten colleges and offers prestigious degrees in business, law, medicine, engineering, public policy, and nursing, to name a few. Duke is also considered a best-value school and offers outstanding undergraduate teaching, and it’s well-known for its basketball program. The university accepts 10% of applicants each fall. Annual tuition and fees cost $55,960.

Wake Forest University – A private school, Wake Forest accepts undergraduates into either the Wake Forest College or the School of Business. This university encourages study abroad, offering 70 international locations from which to choose.  Wake Forest is ranked #27 among national universities. The tuition and fees here are $53,322 per year.

University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill – The Chapel Hill campus, commonly called UNC, ties with another school for 30^th place among national universities. Most students are enrolled in the College of Arts and Sciences. North Carolina state law allows only 18% of the students enrolled to be from out of state. The university tuition and fees run $8,896 annually.

Davidson College – Taking 10th place among national colleges for liberal arts, this small, private schools offer 20+ undergraduate majors and an opportunity to graduate without any college debt, thanks to The Davidson Trust. Annual tuition and fees cost $51,447.

Elon University – This school is ranked first among regional universities in the south. Elon has five colleges and schools of study, and the university offers more than 50 majors. The university is recognized for its outstanding undergraduate teaching and its business program. Elon is considered innovative as well as a best-value choice for higher education. The tuition and fees here are $35,319

High Point University  – At #1 in regional colleges of the south, High Point consists of eight colleges and schools. Students complete courses with a liberal arts focus, and the university encourage collaboration with other schools. High Point has earned first place status as an innovative school. The annual tuition and fees run approximately $35,118.

With colleges and universities like these, it’s easy to see why North Carolina has garnered a following among higher education advocates.

 Click here to learn more about the ranking methodology that we used to compile this list.

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