North Carolina’s Best Christian Colleges and Universities of 2021
For prospective college students looking for schools that align with their Christian faith and demonstrate academic excellence, here are the best Christian colleges and universities in North Carolina.
Colleges and Universities in North Carolina
From its coastal beaches to its lush forests, it’s no wonder the Wright Brothers dreamed of taking flight over North Carolina. This state is rich with history, scenic views, and famous people who once called it home, like John Coltrane and Nicholas Sparks. Students hoping to earn their associate, bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degree also have the option of choosing from over 100 schools in the Tar Heel State.
Among these schools are over 60 public colleges and universities, including the state’s largest school, North Carolina State University, which serves almost 30,000 students. Tuition costs average about $9,000, just below the national average, and students also have the option to enroll in over 1,000 online courses. Another notable public school is the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, which is one of the country’s oldest universities. The 25,000 students who attend this school will walk the same halls as Francis Collins, Thomas Wolfe, and former president James K. Polk. North Carolina’s private schools have also made a name for themselves, including the well-known Duke University located in Durham. Here, students can earn degrees in some of the top programs, like nursing, political science, and business. Additionally, students can attend one of the many small schools which serve less than 5,000 students, like Campbell University in Buies Creek, or a religiously affiliated school, like Mid-Atlantic Christian University in Elizabeth City.
Whether you prefer ocean views or wooded forests, North Carolina has something for everyone. Discover more about the state’s higher learning options.
What are North Carolina’s Colleges & Universities?
- 13 Research Universities
- 36 Liberal Arts Colleges & Universities
- 16 Graduate Schools
- 15 Public Colleges & Universities
- 34 Private Colleges & Universities
- 26 Christian Colleges & Universities
- 33 Small Colleges & Universities (fewer than 5,000 students)
- 16 Affordable Colleges (below 16,000k/yr)
- 47 Community Colleges
North Carolina’s Best Overall
How do we determine North Carolina's best Christian colleges and universities?
The best colleges pound for pound!
The people affiliated with a school are ultimately what make it great. This is why, at the undergraduate level, we rank the best colleges and universities based on what we call Concentrated Influence.
Concentrated Influence takes the combined influence score of a college or university’s top academic influencers (including faculty and alums) and divides it by the school’s total number of undergraduates.
Using concentrated influence gives small and mid-sized schools an opportunity to shine by taking away the size advantage of larger universities. A small school with proportionately more influential faculty than a large school, whose influence in absolute terms may be bigger, will nonetheless score higher in a concentrated influence ranking. Our approach highlights undergraduate schools that truly rank for excellence, regardless of size.
If you are serious about finding the best colleges and universities for a bachelor’s degree, you should be asking where the most influential professors are teaching and whether their graduates are themselves advancing the school’s reputation for academic excellence.
Most ranking sites rely on an opaque combination of reputation surveys and arbitrary performance metrics. Concentrated Influence provides a ranking that is free from bias, insulated from manipulation, and reflective of real-world educational outcomes.
Find out more about our ranking methodology here.
There are 26 Christian colleges and universities in North Carolina, 9 of which meet our criteria. The best Christian schools below consist entirely of colleges and universities that offer four-year undergraduate degrees and the following four conditions:
- It must self-identify as Christian.
- It must be fully accredited.
- It must offer a broad range of bachelor degree programs.
- It must have a graduation rate greater than 50%.
9 Best Christian Colleges & Universities in North Carolina
- #1Duke University#31 institution's overall influence#12 overall school desirability
Tuition + fees
$56K
Acceptance
9%
Graduation
95%
Student body
15K
Median SAT/ACT
1510/34
Durham, NCView profile
What is Duke University known for?
Duke University's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Religious Studies
- Nursing
- Earth Sciences
- Medical
- Political Science
- Psychology
- Law
- Philosophy
- Biology
- Business
Most Influential Alumni
- #2Davidson College#865 institution's overall influence#36 overall school desirability
Tuition + fees
$51K
Acceptance
19%
Graduation
93%
Student body
2K
Median SAT/ACT
1370/31
Davidson, NCView profile
What is Davidson College known for?
Davidson College's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Political Science
- Physics
- Literature
- Psychology
- History
- Sociology
- Anthropology
- Economics
- Biology
- Computer Science
Most Influential Alumni
- #3Guilford College#1302 institution's overall influence#343 overall school desirability
Tuition + fees
$37K
Acceptance
64%
Graduation
61%
Student body
2K
Greensboro, NCView profile
What is Guilford College known for?
Guilford College's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Sociology
- Chemistry
- Mathematics
- Religious Studies
- Medical
- Business
- Computer Science
- Philosophy
- Biology
- Education
Most Influential Alumni
- #4Queens University of Charlotte#2308 institution's overall influence#431 overall school desirability
Tuition + fees
$35K
Acceptance
79%
Graduation
53%
Student body
2K
Median SAT/ACT
1125/23
Charlotte, NCView profile
What is Queens University of Charlotte known for?
Queens University of Charlotte's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Literature
- Psychology
- Religious Studies
- Sociology
- Chemistry
- Philosophy
- Nursing
- Biology
- History
- Political Science
Most Influential Alumni
- #5Campbell University#1825 institution's overall influence#486 overall school desirability
Tuition + fees
$33K
Acceptance
76%
Graduation
55%
Student body
5K
Median SAT/ACT
1120/22
Buies Creek, NCView profile
What is Campbell University known for?
Campbell University's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Nursing
- Law
- History
- Economics
- Engineering
- Political Science
- Sociology
- Social Work
- Medical
- Education
Most Influential Alumni
- #6Salem College#2756 institution's overall influence#989 overall school desirability
Tuition + fees
$29K
Acceptance
39%
Graduation
57%
Student body
<1K
Median SAT/ACT
1155/24
Winston-Salem, NCView profile
What is Salem College known for?
Salem College's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Education
- Psychology
- Chemistry
- Literature
- Economics
- Sociology
- Communications
- History
- Mathematics
- Criminal Justice
Most Influential Alumni
- #7High Point University#2103 institution's overall influence#312 overall school desirability
Tuition + fees
$35K
Acceptance
77%
Graduation
64%
Student body
5K
Median SAT/ACT
1170/24
High Point, NCView profile
What is High Point University known for?
High Point University's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Anthropology
- Political Science
- Economics
- History
- Criminal Justice
- Business
- Education
- Sociology
- Computer Science
- Medical
Most Influential Alumni
- #8Barton College#2904 institution's overall influence#1425 overall school desirability
Tuition + fees
$31K
Acceptance
40%
Graduation
52%
Student body
<1K
Median SAT/ACT
1020/20
Wilson, NCView profile
What is Barton College known for?
Barton College's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Literature
- Business
- Chemistry
- Medical
- History
- Communications
- Social Work
- Education
- Criminal Justice
- Nursing
Most Influential Alumni
- #9University of Mount Olive#8555 institution's overall influence#1147 overall school desirability
Tuition + fees
$21K
Acceptance
53%
Graduation
51%
Student body
3K
Median SAT/ACT
1017/19
Mount Olive, NCView profile
What is University of Mount Olive known for?
University of Mount Olive's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Religious Studies
- Mathematics
- Criminal Justice
- History
- Education
- Business
Most Influential Alumni
Honorable Mentions
Gardner–Webb University
Tuition + fees
$32K
Acceptance
48%
Graduation
44%
Student body
3K
Median SAT/ACT
1075/21
View profile
What is Gardner–Webb University known for?
Gardner–Webb University's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Religious Studies
- Literature
- History
- Nursing
- Psychology
- Criminal Justice
- Social Work
- Education
- Business
Most Influential Alumni
Bennett College
Tuition + fees
$19K
Acceptance
96%
Graduation
42%
Student body
<1K
Median SAT/ACT
900/17
View profile
What is Bennett College known for?
Bennett College's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Chemistry
- Sociology
- Mathematics
- Psychology
- Education
- Social Work
- Biology
- Literature
- Political Science
Most Influential Alumni
Greensboro College
Tuition + fees
$29K
Acceptance
44%
Graduation
44%
Student body
<1K
Median SAT/ACT
1025/19
View profile
What is Greensboro College known for?
Greensboro College's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Literature
- Chemistry
- Criminal Justice
- Business
- History
- Biology
- Education
- Political Science
- Medical
Most Influential Alumni
William Peace University
Tuition + fees
$31K
Acceptance
57%
Graduation
42%
Student body
<1K
Median SAT/ACT
1000/21
View profile
What is William Peace University known for?
William Peace University's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Literature
- Anthropology
- Psychology
- Sociology
- Business
- Communications
- Political Science
- Education
- Biology
Most Influential Alumni
Belmont Abbey College
Tuition + fees
$19K
Acceptance
80%
Graduation
44%
Student body
1K
Median SAT/ACT
1065/21
View profile
What is Belmont Abbey College known for?
Belmont Abbey College's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Political Science
- Biology
- History
- Education
- Psychology
- Criminal Justice
Most Influential Alumni
Methodist University
Tuition + fees
$34K
Acceptance
55%
Graduation
41%
Student body
2K
Median SAT/ACT
1055/20
View profile
What is Methodist University known for?
Methodist University's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- History
- Medical
- Criminal Justice
- Psychology
- Computer Science
- Political Science
- Communications
- Education
Most Influential Alumni
Lenoir–Rhyne University
Tuition + fees
$36K
Acceptance
74%
Graduation
48%
Student body
2K
View profile
What is Lenoir–Rhyne University known for?
Lenoir–Rhyne University's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- Religious Studies
- Criminal Justice
- History
- Business
- Education
Most Influential Alumni
Brevard College
Tuition + fees
$29K
Acceptance
46%
Graduation
46%
Student body
<1K
View profile
What is Brevard College known for?
Brevard College's faculty and alumni have been influential in:
- History
- Medical
- Psychology
- Education
Most Influential Alumni
Find North Carolina best Christian college for your major
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