Small colleges in North Carolina are a great option for students interested in a more intimate campus experience, more personal attention from excellent professors, and more immediate access to support services. Whether the focus is on the technical or on the liberal arts, small colleges give you the chance to pursue a well-rounded education while working closely with classmates and professors in a dynamic community atmosphere.
North Carolina is a perfect home for education excellence. The state has 53 liberal arts colleges and universities, and is home to the third biggest community college system in the US. North Carolina also has three Tier 1 research universities. Its education institution always awards more than 25,000 STEM degrees annually.
What makes North Carolina conducive to learning is the fact that students have so much to do outside the classrooms. Whether they relax on the beach, root for their favorite college or professional football team, drive on the Blue Ridge Parkway, see a musical play, visit museums, or dine on exquisite cuisine, North Carolina is indeed very diverse and has so much to offer.
Like any college and university, there are several grants, scholarships, work-study programs, and other forms of financial aid for qualified students. Whether attending a liberal arts college, a small college, or a private institution, so many students have taken advantage of favorable NC tuition rates.
Federal Pell Grants: These are for undergraduate students who have not yet earned a degree (bachelor’s, graduate, or professional), and are in financial need.
Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants (FSEOG): These are awarded to undergraduate students who are in dire need of financial assistance. The grants are administered by the participating school’s financial aid offices. These grants are not available in all colleges, so it’s best to check first with the financial aid office of your school.
TEACH or Teacher Education Assistance for College & Higher Education Grants: These are open for qualified undergraduate, post-baccalaureate, or graduate students who want to become teachers in a high-need field or low-income areas. Students should meet certain academic requirements to be eligible.
Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grants: This grant type is for the children of guardians or parents who perished in the military in Afghanistan or Iraq after 9/11. To qualify, a student should be under 24 and is enrolled in college at the time of the guardian/parent’s death.
North Carolina Education Lottery Scholarship: This grant is open to North Carolina residents who are in financial need. The student must be enrolled in an NC Community College or any of the 16 UNC system campuses.
UNC Need-Based Grant: This is open to NC students with financial needs, and must be enrolled in at least 6 credit hours at any of the 16 UNC system campuses.
There are so many scholarships that North Carolina offers to its students. Here are just a few:
Aubrey Lee Brooks Scholarship:This is a $12,000 scholarship open to graduating high school seniors from any of the 14 county areas in North Carolina. This scholarship is renewable, as long as the scholar has continued financial needs and remains a full-time student at an eligible institution.
Lenoir-Rhyne University Lutheran Scholarship: The LR Scholars Program grants eligible Lutheran students two awards: the Martin Luther Fellows and the Friends in Faith Program. These scholarships are available exclusively for undergraduate NC students who have contributions to church and community.
NACME Scholars (Block Grant) Program: This is the biggest college scholarship provider for underrepresented minority students who are pursuing degrees at schools of engineering. With a $16,000 grant for every qualified student, the NACME program sponsors 1,000 underrepresented minority engineering and computer students every year.
NIADA Foundation Regional Scholarship: The National Association of Independent Automobile Dealers offers many scholarship opportunities for exceptional high school graduating students interested to pursue a career in the automotive industry.
North Carolina Student Incentive Grant: This is a $700 incentive grant program offered by the North Carolina State Education Assistance Authority through College Foundation Inc.
Riding Forward Scholarship: If you have an interesting story about an African-American who has immensely inspired you, then you could earn a $3500-$5,000 college scholarship.
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.
The following list of the best small colleges and universities in North Carolina is composed mainly of four-year undergraduate schools (though a handful also offer graduate programs). We’ve identified 33 small colleges in North Carolina. The list below of the 25 best small colleges in North Carolina. To be included schools must fully accredited, and must have student body populations below 5,000 students.
Tuition + fees
$55K
Acceptance
18%
Graduation
90%
Student body
2K
Median SAT/ACT
1380/31
Davidson College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$38K
Acceptance
87%
Graduation
56%
Student body
4K
Median SAT/ACT
1110/22
Campbell University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$41K
Acceptance
70%
Graduation
68%
Student body
2K
Median SAT/ACT
1104/22
Meredith College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$16K
Acceptance
65%
Graduation
16%
Student body
1K
Shaw University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$39K
Acceptance
69%
Graduation
64%
Student body
2K
Median SAT/ACT
1135/23
Queens University of Charlotte’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$32K
Acceptance
56%
Graduation
60%
Student body
1K
Median SAT/ACT
1040/19
Catawba College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$7K
Acceptance
82%
Graduation
65%
Student body
3K
Median SAT/ACT
1165/24
University of North Carolina at Asheville’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$41K
Acceptance
82%
Graduation
55%
Student body
1K
Median SAT/ACT
1050/20
Guilford College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$38K
Acceptance
77%
Graduation
39%
Student body
<1K
Warren Wilson College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$31K
Acceptance
90%
Graduation
67%
Student body
<1K
Median SAT/ACT
1076/20
Salem College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$19K
Acceptance
79%
Graduation
22%
Student body
<1K
Bennett College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$19K
Acceptance
99%
Graduation
46%
Student body
1K
Median SAT/ACT
1075/21
Belmont Abbey College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$6K
Acceptance
81%
Graduation
46%
Student body
5K
Median SAT/ACT
965/18
Winston-Salem State University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$40K
Acceptance
85%
Graduation
61%
Student body
3K
Wingate University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$19K
Acceptance
88%
Graduation
30%
Student body
<1K
Median SAT/ACT
1000/19
Greensboro College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$19K
Acceptance
45%
Graduation
39%
Student body
1K
Median SAT/ACT
890/15
Johnson C. Smith University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$3K
Acceptance
77%
Graduation
40%
Student body
2K
Median SAT/ACT
920/17
Elizabeth City State University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$36K
Acceptance
80%
Graduation
34%
Student body
1K
Mars Hill University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$23K
Acceptance
83%
Graduation
47%
Student body
2K
Median SAT/ACT
1005/19
University of Mount Olive’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$18K
Acceptance
51%
Graduation
23%
Student body
<1K
Median SAT/ACT
850/14
Livingstone College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$29K
Acceptance
90%
Graduation
29%
Student body
<1K
Median SAT/ACT
1025/20
Montreat College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$33K
Acceptance
28%
Graduation
40%
Student body
2K
Median SAT/ACT
915/17
North Carolina Wesleyan University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$33K
Acceptance
99%
Graduation
52%
Student body
1K
Median SAT/ACT
1025/19
Barton College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$30K
Acceptance
45%
Graduation
32%
Student body
<1K
Brevard College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$32K
Acceptance
72%
Graduation
34%
Student body
1K
Median SAT/ACT
1020/18
Pfeiffer University’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 utilized 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.