Best Online Colleges in North Carolina 2023

Published: Jan 4, 2022
Updated: Sep 8, 2023

Find the best online colleges in North Carolina ranked by the academic success of faculty and alumni associated with the colleges and universities and their online degree programs.

Top 10 Online Colleges in North Carolina

North Carolina State University
Winston-Salem State University
University of North Carolina at Greensboro
East Carolina University
University of North Carolina at Charlotte
Appalachian State University
Campbell University
North Carolina A&T State University
Western Carolina University
Catawba College

Barton College 99%
East Carolina University 94%
University of North Carolina at Pembroke 92%
University of North Carolina at Greensboro 91%
Montreat College 90%
Greensboro College 88%
Campbell University 87%
Appalachian State University 85%
University of Mount Olive 83%
Fayetteville State University 82%

University of North Carolina at Charlotte 20 to 1
East Carolina University 19 to 1
North Carolina A&T State University 19 to 1
Western Carolina University 17 to 1
Fayetteville State University 17 to 1
University of North Carolina Wilmington 17 to 1
Elizabeth City State University 16 to 1
Winston-Salem State University 16 to 1
University of North Carolina at Greensboro 16 to 1
Appalachian State University 16 to 1

Campbell University $38,160
Methodist University $36,960
Barton College $33,430
Pfeiffer University $32,480
William Peace University $32,450
Catawba College $32,380
Gardner–Webb University $32,200
Montreat College $29,462
St. Andrews University $28,630
Lees–McRae College $28,290

Methodist University $38,428
Cabarrus College of Health Sciences $28,740
St. Andrews University $25,800
University of Mount Olive $18,000
Campbell University $14,041
Pfeiffer University $12,240
Barton College $10,296
Gardner–Webb University $10,080
Montreat College $9,342
North Carolina State University $9,095

Charlotte Christian College and Theological Seminary
Carolinas College of Health Sciences
Cabarrus College of Health Sciences
Johnston Community College
Lees–McRae College
St. Andrews University
Pfeiffer University
William Peace University
University of Mount Olive
Barton College

St. Andrews University 12%
Cabarrus College of Health Sciences 46%
North Carolina State University 47%
William Peace University 52%
Carolinas College of Health Sciences 56%
Catawba College 56%
North Carolina A&T State University 57%
Lees–McRae College 59%
University of North Carolina Wilmington 68%
Pfeiffer University 72%

Carolinas College of Health Sciences 7 to 1
Cabarrus College of Health Sciences 7 to 1
Greensboro College 8 to 1
Montreat College 8 to 1
Charlotte Christian College and Theological Seminary 8 to 1
Johnston Community College 10 to 1
Methodist University 10 to 1
Pfeiffer University 10 to 1
Lees–McRae College 11 to 1
William Peace University 12 to 1

Elizabeth City State University $1,000
Western Carolina University $1,000
University of North Carolina at Pembroke $1,000
Johnston Community College $2,432
Fayetteville State University $2,982
Winston-Salem State University $3,401
North Carolina A&T State University $3,540
University of North Carolina at Charlotte $3,812
Appalachian State University $4,242
University of North Carolina at Greensboro $4,422

Elizabeth City State University $3,375
Fayetteville State University $3,438
Catawba College $3,594
Winston-Salem State University $3,872
Greensboro College $4,200
University of North Carolina at Pembroke $4,280
University of North Carolina at Charlotte $4,337
Western Carolina University $4,435
University of North Carolina Wilmington $4,719
North Carolina A&T State University $4,745

Table of Contents

Featured Programs

Colleges and Universities in North Carolina

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.

Find college admissions consultants in your state.

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.

What are North Carolina’s Colleges & Universities?

North Carolina’s Best Overall

Online education has grown dramatically in quality, credibility, and popularity over the last two decades. Today, more than a quarter of all college students are taking at least one online course. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, there are more than 5 million college students who are pursuing their undergraduate degree fully online. And the number of online college and graduate students continues to grow as online technology and instructional methods improve.

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, access to remote learning has proven an essential part of the educational ecosystem. Schools that offer primarily online degree programs saw an increase of 7% enrollment just between Fall 2020 and Spring 2021. The number of traditional institutions offering online courses and degrees is growing as well. This all paints a promising picture for the future of online education. But it also produces a dizzying array of options.

Frequently Asked Questions About Best Online Colleges 2022

Asynchronous learning means classes don’t meet at set times. This is the most flexible online learning experience, making when you cover your course material up to you. Most asynchronous online courses will still have deadlines throughout the semester for various assignments and tests. Some asynchronous classes may still ask for an occasional meeting, such as initial meet-and-greets, and in some cases there may be scheduled test times. The idea of asynchronous learning is to allow the student to manage their schedules as needed.

Synchronous learning means you will have scheduled meeting times for your online classes. Synchronous learning gives online students the flexibility of location while also giving students a chance to engage with each other and their professors. For many online students, the structured class schedules and ability to see and hear from peers in real-time helps create the learning experience they want.

Accreditation is especially important when it comes to online college. This is because the online education landscape is a mix of highly-reputable institutions and less-than-reputable for-profit schools. Accreditation gives you the power to differentiate between the two. Accreditation is a stamp of approval from an independent accrediting agency which indicates that a college or university is meeting standards of quality, credibility, and currency. School-wide accreditation falls into two major categories: regional and national accreditation. Regional accreditors generally hold jurisdiction only over schools in the states comprising their region, whereas national accreditors hold jurisdiction over schools in all states. Regional accreditation is widely regarded as a more rigorous standard of quality and credibility than national accreditation.

Attending a college or university which is not regionally accredited could limit your opportunities. When seeking an online education, we strongly recommend that students opt for regionally accredited schools. Regional accreditation ensures eligibility for federal loans and grants, ensures your college credits can be transferred between schools, and ensures that your degree credits can be accepted if you wish to earn an advanced degree.

As long as your online college degree is regionally accredited, you should have little difficulty transferring most of your credits or credentials to another regionally accredited undergraduate school. Every school carries its own standards and procedures for granting a transfer. In many cases, you will be required to navigate a bureaucracy in which some of your credits will be transferred and others will be jettisoned. However, provided that you have attended an online school with the proper regional accreditation, you should have plenty of options for transfer.

In most cases, as long you graduate from a well-regarded, regionally-accredited online college, prospective employers won’t look sideways at your degree. In fact, unless you attend an exclusively online college or university, there will likely be no specific indicator on your degree, transcript or resume differentiating your school from its brick-and-mortar counterpart. This means that your employer will likely only differentiate between an online and in-person degree if you mention this distinction.

While some employers may express concern about making the adjustment from online education to in-person workplace collaboration, many other employers will view your online degree as evidence of valuable 21st Century professional skills such as independence, self-motivation, time management, and tech savvy.

The advantages of online classes are many. First and foremost, online courses give you the freedom and flexibility to attend class from anywhere that works for you, whether you’re at home, in a coffee shop, or in a quiet conference room at work. In many cases, you’ll also enjoy the convenience of asynchronous learning opportunities—educational experiences that you can complete on your own schedule. This may include pre-taped lectures, ongoing chat-board discussions, and 24/7 access to digital materials. And of course, just as there are some learners who prefer the energy of a live classroom, there are those who learn best when working in their own personal space, free from distractions. If this sounds like you, you might find the solitude of online learning to be a major advantage.

How do we determine the best online colleges for undergrads?

Methodology

Pursuing your degree online doesn’t mean you need to settle for an inferior school. Today, most universities and colleges offer online degrees, and many respected schools are seeing significant growth in their numbers of online students.

The people affiliated with a school are ultimately what make it great. This is why influence — i.e., the academic impact of faculty and alumni associated with a school — gets at the heart of what is truly best in education. The combined influence score of a college or university’s top academic influencers is the best indicator of academic excellence. For our online degree rankings, we focus on the academic influence of faculty and alumni in the specific disciplines we’re ranking.

If you are serious about finding the best online colleges, you should be asking where the most influential professors are teaching, and whether their graduates themselves are advancing the school’s reputation for academic excellence. Most ranking sites rely on an opaque combination of reputation surveys and arbitrary performance metrics. Influence, as measured by our InfluenceRanking engine, provides a ranking that is free from bias, insulated from manipulation, and reflective of real-world educational outcomes.

Median Salaries of Top Careers in North Carolina

The following graph depicts the average salaries of top occupations in different industries in North Carolina.

Source: U.S. BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS

Annual Salary

118960Computer Hardware Engineers

120650Financial Risk Specialists

129350Actuaries

134660Physicists

262660Chief Executives

Best Online Colleges in North Carolina 2023

Top 10 Online Colleges in North Carolina

Featured Programs

Colleges and Universities in North Carolina

What are North Carolina’s Colleges & Universities?

Median Salaries of Top Careers in North Carolina

Best Online Colleges in North Carolina 2022

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