There are 175 colleges in North Carolina - 76 public and 99 private schools. The 2024 average undergraduate tuition of the North Carolina colleges is $7,438 for state residents and $25,357 for out-of-state students.
92 North Carolina cities have at least one college and, of them, Charlotte has the most of 17 colleges. It has 11 four-year colleges and 3 community colleges with a total of 52,657 students. Raleigh and Greensboro also has a number of colleges of 15 and 11 colleges respectively.
The following table shows the North Carolina colleges by city. The 2024 tuition & fees based on 4-year colleges' cost.
| City | Number of Schools | Under-graduate Tuition | Graduate Tuition | Population | Students to Faculty | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | 4-year | Community Colleges | Trade Schools | Total | Under. | Graduate | ||||
| Charlotte | 17 | 11 | 3 | 3 | $22,404 ($13,155) |
$16,532 ($7,869) |
52,657 | 45,897 | 6,760 | 10 to 1 |
| Raleigh | 15 | 8 | 4 | 3 | $23,668 ($8,895) |
$17,475 ($11,819) |
64,444 | 53,567 | 10,877 | 11 to 1 |
| Greensboro | 11 | 7 | 1 | 3 | $22,404 ($7,171) |
$15,602 ($8,325) |
38,051 | 32,055 | 5,996 | 15 to 1 |
| Winston-Salem | 7 | 4 | 1 | 2 | $32,725 ($6,735) |
$18,798 ($7,206) |
23,633 | 19,045 | 4,588 | 15 to 1 |
| Fayetteville | 7 | 4 | 2 | 1 | $15,268 ($3,969) |
$17,983 ($6,197) |
19,616 | 18,109 | 1,507 | 12 to 1 |
| Asheville | 7 | 4 | 1 | 2 | $19,715 ($7,461) |
$23,653 ($8,253) |
9,618 | 9,530 | 88 | 9 to 1 |
| Durham | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | $35,735 ($6,542) |
$42,387 ($7,480) |
30,137 | 16,835 | 13,302 | 12 to 1 |
| Wilmington | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | $24,113 ($7,317) |
$23,029 ($7,853) |
32,682 | 29,133 | 3,549 | 20 to 1 |
| Salisbury | 4 | 3 | 1 | - | $25,848 | $12,128 | 8,911 | 8,687 | 224 | 9 to 1 |
| Elizabeth City | 3 | 2 | 1 | - | $12,346 ($3,412) |
$18,849 ($5,787) |
4,596 | 4,480 | 116 | 13 to 1 |
| Concord | 3 | 2 | - | 1 | $14,995 | $31,490 | 642 | 565 | 77 | 8 to 1 |
| High Point | 2 | 2 | - | - | $32,382 | $24,605 | 6,032 | 5,083 | 949 | 15 to 1 |
| Chapel Hill | 2 | 1 | - | 1 | $39,330 ($8,989) |
$30,819 ($12,527) |
31,913 | 20,237 | 11,676 | 16 to 1 |
| Greenville | 2 | 1 | - | 1 | $23,638 ($7,361) |
$20,807 ($7,658) |
27,202 | 21,739 | 5,463 | 18 to 1 |
| Dallas | 2 | - | 2 | - | - | - | 5,558 | 5,558 | - | 7 to 1 |
| Wilson | 2 | 1 | 1 | - | $35,600 | $10,397 | 3,044 | 2,966 | 78 | 11 to 1 |
| Mooresville | 2 | - | 1 | 1 | - | - | 1,317 | 1,317 | - | 22 to 1 |
| Jacksonville | 2 | - | 2 | - | - | - | 3,768 | 3,768 | - | 13 to 1 |
| Rocky Mount | 2 | 1 | 1 | - | $35,536 | $12,700 | 3,982 | 3,894 | 88 | 16 to 1 |
| Winston Salem | 2 | 2 | - | - | $18,316 ($9,477) |
$19,410 ($12,676) |
1,174 | 967 | 207 | 6 to 1 |
| Hickory | 2 | 1 | 1 | - | $30,900 | $12,240 | 6,526 | 5,701 | 825 | 10 to 1 |
| Whiteville | 1 | - | 1 | - | - | - | 1,228 | 1,228 | - | 9 to 1 |
| New Bern | 1 | - | 1 | - | - | - | 2,701 | 2,701 | - | 12 to 1 |
| Cary | 1 | 1 | - | - | - | $8,380 | 161 | - | 161 | - |
| Flat Rock | 1 | - | 1 | - | - | - | 2,794 | 2,794 | - | 14 to 1 |
| Kenansville | 1 | - | 1 | - | - | - | 1,359 | 1,359 | - | 12 to 1 |
| Albemarle | 1 | - | 1 | - | - | - | 2,319 | 2,319 | - | 10 to 1 |
| Davidson | 1 | 1 | - | - | $60,050 | - | 1,927 | 1,927 | - | 9 to 1 |
| Grantsboro | 1 | - | 1 | - | - | - | 329 | 329 | - | 4 to 1 |
| Wendell | 1 | 1 | - | - | $11,250 | - | 74 | 74 | - | 7 to 1 |
| Bolivia | 1 | - | 1 | - | - | - | 1,678 | 1,678 | - | 12 to 1 |
| Banner Elk | 1 | 1 | - | - | $31,740 | $9,750 | 855 | 855 | - | 10 to 1 |
| Dobson | 1 | - | 1 | - | - | - | 2,797 | 2,797 | - | 14 to 1 |
| Misenheimer | 1 | 1 | - | - | $33,930 | $12,240 | 1,076 | 683 | 393 | 14 to 1 |
| Hudson | 1 | - | 1 | - | - | - | 3,703 | 3,703 | - | 14 to 1 |
| Louisburg | 1 | - | 1 | - | - | - | 434 | 434 | - | 16 to 1 |
| Murphy | 1 | - | 1 | - | - | - | 888 | 888 | - | 10 to 1 |
| Elon | 1 | 1 | - | - | $44,536 | $20,574 | 7,123 | 6,337 | 786 | 11 to 1 |
| Winterville | 1 | - | 1 | - | - | - | 7,144 | 7,144 | - | 15 to 1 |
| Williamston | 1 | - | 1 | - | - | - | 842 | 842 | - | 11 to 1 |
| Swannanoa | 1 | 1 | - | - | $40,290 | $20,550 | 793 | 723 | 70 | 8 to 1 |
| Hamlet | 1 | - | 1 | - | - | - | 2,290 | 2,290 | - | 12 to 1 |
| Marion | 1 | - | 1 | - | - | - | 1,100 | 1,100 | - | 7 to 1 |
| Morganton | 1 | - | 1 | - | - | - | 1,749 | 1,749 | - | 11 to 1 |
| Boone | 1 | 1 | - | - | $24,537 ($7,541) |
$24,140 ($8,380) |
20,436 | 18,558 | 1,878 | 16 to 1 |
| Lumberton | 1 | - | 1 | - | - | - | 1,901 | 1,901 | - | 15 to 1 |
| Sanford | 1 | - | 1 | - | - | - | 5,231 | 5,231 | - | 12 to 1 |
| Statesville | 1 | - | 1 | - | - | - | 3,456 | 3,456 | - | 13 to 1 |
| Wingate | 1 | 1 | - | - | $41,731 | $12,600 | 3,396 | 2,510 | 886 | 15 to 1 |
| Weldon | 1 | - | 1 | - | - | - | 995 | 995 | - | 11 to 1 |
| Clinton | 1 | - | 1 | - | - | - | 1,590 | 1,590 | - | 8 to 1 |
| Murfreesboro | 1 | 1 | - | - | $27,110 | $8,730 | 886 | 800 | 86 | 16 to 1 |
| Montreat | 1 | 1 | - | - | $33,860 | $11,310 | 972 | 820 | 152 | 13 to 1 |
| Belmont | 1 | 1 | - | - | $19,500 | $17,624 | 1,501 | 1,475 | 26 | 12 to 1 |
| Dunn | 1 | 1 | - | - | $8,688 | $10,440 | 26 | 26 | - | 2 to 1 |
| Laurinburg | 1 | 1 | - | - | $30,800 | $15,000 | 809 | 780 | 29 | 14 to 1 |
| Sugar Grove | 1 | 1 | - | - | - | $14,745 | 83 | - | 83 | - |
| Dublin | 1 | - | 1 | - | - | - | 978 | 978 | - | 9 to 1 |
| Spindale | 1 | - | 1 | - | - | - | 1,876 | 1,876 | - | 11 to 1 |
| Sylva | 1 | - | 1 | - | - | - | 2,256 | 2,256 | - | 10 to 1 |
| Thomasville | 1 | - | 1 | - | - | - | 3,921 | 3,921 | - | 15 to 1 |
| Mebane | 1 | - | - | 1 | - | - | 61 | 61 | - | 15 to 1 |
| Brevard | 1 | 1 | - | - | $31,250 | $10,800 | 759 | 735 | 24 | 10 to 1 |
| Smithfield | 1 | - | 1 | - | - | - | 4,282 | 4,282 | - | 15 to 1 |
| Wake Forest | 1 | 1 | - | - | $10,516 | $6,388 | 2,764 | 679 | 2,085 | 9 to 1 |
| Pembroke | 1 | 1 | - | - | $7,571 ($3,571) |
$19,910 ($6,851) |
7,666 | 5,643 | 2,023 | 14 to 1 |
| Nashville | 1 | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Kinston | 1 | - | 1 | - | - | - | 2,199 | 2,199 | - | 12 to 1 |
| Graham | 1 | - | 1 | - | - | - | 3,939 | 3,939 | - | 14 to 1 |
| Tarboro | 1 | - | 1 | - | - | - | 1,313 | 1,313 | - | 10 to 1 |
| Roxboro | 1 | - | 1 | - | - | - | 1,150 | 1,150 | - | 10 to 1 |
| Buies Creek | 1 | 1 | - | - | $40,410 | $16,158 | 5,272 | 2,965 | 2,307 | 13 to 1 |
| Mars Hill | 1 | 1 | - | - | $37,270 | $14,364 | 1,032 | 994 | 38 | 11 to 1 |
| Henderson | 1 | - | 1 | - | - | - | 2,814 | 2,814 | - | 16 to 1 |
| Asheboro | 1 | - | 1 | - | - | - | 2,469 | 2,469 | - | 9 to 1 |
| Morehead City | 1 | - | 1 | - | - | - | 1,554 | 1,554 | - | 10 to 1 |
| Spruce Pine | 1 | - | 1 | - | - | - | 783 | 783 | - | 14 to 1 |
| Goldsboro | 1 | - | 1 | - | - | - | 2,732 | 2,732 | - | 12 to 1 |
| Polkton | 1 | - | 1 | - | - | - | 3,338 | 3,338 | - | 16 to 1 |
| Boiling Springs | 1 | 1 | - | - | $33,450 | $11,300 | 3,144 | 1,812 | 1,332 | 11 to 1 |
| Ahoskie | 1 | - | 1 | - | - | - | 569 | 569 | - | 11 to 1 |
| Wilkesboro | 1 | - | 1 | - | - | - | 2,321 | 2,321 | - | 7 to 1 |
| Jamestown | 1 | - | 1 | - | - | - | 10,067 | 10,067 | - | 17 to 1 |
| Wentworth | 1 | - | 1 | - | - | - | 1,712 | 1,712 | - | 14 to 1 |
| Troy | 1 | - | 1 | - | - | - | 702 | 702 | - | 5 to 1 |
| Cullowhee | 1 | 1 | - | - | $8,532 ($4,532) |
$18,497 ($7,778) |
11,635 | 9,956 | 1,679 | 16 to 1 |
| Washington | 1 | - | 1 | - | - | - | 1,741 | 1,741 | - | 10 to 1 |
| Clyde | 1 | - | 1 | - | - | - | 1,286 | 1,286 | - | 7 to 1 |
| Pinehurst | 1 | - | 1 | - | - | - | 3,778 | 3,778 | - | 12 to 1 |
| Shelby | 1 | - | 1 | - | - | - | 1,946 | 1,946 | - | 15 to 1 |
| Mount Olive | 1 | 1 | - | - | $25,950 | $18,700 | 2,239 | 2,019 | 220 | 16 to 1 |
| Gastonia | 1 | - | - | 1 | - | - | 272 | 272 | - | 17 to 1 |