Liberal arts colleges are a great option for students seeking a well-rounded education in an intimate campus setting. The best liberal arts colleges in North Carolina offer a diverse selection of degree programs with opportunities for a highly individualized educational experience.
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.
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The 25,000 students who attend UNC 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.
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.
Whether you prefer ocean views or wooded forests, North Carolina has something for everyone. Discover more about the state’s higher learning options.
Related: Differences between research universities and teaching colleges
A liberal arts college is a school that puts a premium on undergraduate studies and offers a broad range of subjects for students to study. A college of liberal arts typically provides smaller class sizes, more direct engagement with professors, and, most importantly, the opportunity to sample a wide range of subject areas on the way to a bachelor’s degree. We’ve identified 36 liberal arts colleges in North Carolina. To be ranked among the 25 best liberal arts colleges in North Carolina, schools must fully accredited institutions.
Tuition + fees
$55K
Acceptance
20%
Graduation
93%
Student body
2K
Median SAT/ACT
1397/31
Davidson College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$7K
Acceptance
87%
Graduation
52%
Student body
7K
Median SAT/ACT
970/18
North Carolina Central University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$7K
Acceptance
80%
Graduation
73%
Student body
19K
Median SAT/ACT
1185/25
Appalachian State University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$40K
Acceptance
77%
Graduation
69%
Student body
5K
Median SAT/ACT
1175/25
High Point University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$41K
Acceptance
72%
Graduation
64%
Student body
2K
Median SAT/ACT
1120/21
Meredith College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$4K
Acceptance
48%
Graduation
64%
Student body
11K
Median SAT/ACT
1110/22
Western Carolina University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$16K
Acceptance
71%
Graduation
19%
Student body
1K
Shaw University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$39K
Acceptance
68%
Graduation
57%
Student body
2K
Median SAT/ACT
1140/24
Queens University of Charlotte’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$32K
Acceptance
52%
Graduation
56%
Student body
1K
Median SAT/ACT
1025/20
Catawba College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$7K
Acceptance
79%
Graduation
62%
Student body
3K
Median SAT/ACT
1180/24
University of North Carolina at Asheville’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$41K
Acceptance
78%
Graduation
49%
Student body
2K
Median SAT/ACT
1070/20
Guilford College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$38K
Acceptance
85%
Graduation
42%
Student body
<1K
Median SAT/ACT
1177/25
Warren Wilson College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$31K
Acceptance
85%
Graduation
66%
Student body
<1K
Median SAT/ACT
1025/19
Salem College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$19K
Acceptance
73%
Graduation
29%
Student body
<1K
Bennett College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$5K
Acceptance
79%
Graduation
36%
Student body
6K
Median SAT/ACT
940/19
Fayetteville State University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$19K
Acceptance
80%
Graduation
46%
Student body
1K
Median SAT/ACT
1095/22
Belmont Abbey College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$6K
Acceptance
73%
Graduation
50%
Student body
5K
Median SAT/ACT
960/17
Winston-Salem State University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$3K
Acceptance
91%
Graduation
42%
Student body
7K
Median SAT/ACT
1005/19
University of North Carolina at Pembroke’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$19K
Acceptance
78%
Graduation
34%
Student body
<1K
Median SAT/ACT
1000/18
Greensboro College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$19K
Acceptance
49%
Graduation
44%
Student body
2K
Median SAT/ACT
881/16
Johnson C. Smith University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$3K
Acceptance
75%
Graduation
43%
Student body
2K
Median SAT/ACT
962/18
Elizabeth City State University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$36K
Acceptance
67%
Graduation
35%
Student body
1K
Median SAT/ACT
1035/20
Mars Hill University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$23K
Acceptance
62%
Graduation
46%
Student body
2K
Median SAT/ACT
1000/19
University of Mount Olive’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$18K
Acceptance
69%
Graduation
28%
Student body
1K
Median SAT/ACT
845/15
Livingstone College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$29K
Acceptance
71%
Graduation
34%
Student body
<1K
Median SAT/ACT
1036/20
Montreat College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Many of our 2022 undergraduate focused rankings look considerably different than 2021. That’s because we took a fundamentally different apporach. For 2021 we utiulized our Concentrated Influence algorithm, designed to take away the size advantage larger schools have when we rank their faculty and alumni’s academic influence. Concentrated influence highlights smaller schools that are proportionally as successful as larger universities at cultivating influential alumni and faculty.
