North Carolina Colleges, Universities And Trade Schools

• Total Colleges: 190
• Total Medical Schools: 5
• Total Colleges With Tenure: 0
• Colleges By Highest Degree Offered
• Associate's: 68
• Bachelor's Degree: 30
• Master's Degree: 28
• Doctor's Degree: 22
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• Total Faculty: 125,114
• Total Full Time Faculty: 93,947
• Total Part Time Faculty: 31,167
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• Total Students: 593,541
• Total Full Time Students: 384,199
• Total Part Time Students: 209,342
• Total Undergraduate Students: 523,942
• Total Graduate Students: 69,599

Student Race Breakdown

Student Gender Breakdown

Student Age Breakdown

North Carolina is home to a large number of colleges and universities, both public and private, located throughout the state. The state is moderately large in population and among the smaller states, though larger than most New England states, geographically. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, Tennessee to the west, Georgia to the Southwest, and South Carolina to the South.  Raleigh is the capital and second largest city in the state, the largest being Charlotte. A higher concentration of schools will be found within or near these two cities, though schools can be found in most sections of the state.

The University of North Carolina is one of the oldest educational institutions in the United States, having been founded in 1789 in Chapel Hill. The school was joined over time by other publically funded institutions that became part of a single consolidated system beginning with the merger of three colleges in 1931 as part of measures to control costs of due to the Great Depression. The process continued until 1971 when all bachelor degree granting public institutions were brought together under the umbrella of the University of North Carolina banner, with each school maintaining its own board of trustees and chancellor, but answering to the governance of a unifying body. The system enrolls over 180,000 students annually, graduating approximately 40,000 students each year, a majority of which are bachelor degree seeking students. The system is responsible for 75% of all bachelor degrees awarded in the state. The system consists of 16 colleges and universities and one high school.

University of North Carolina System Schools include:

• University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (Chapel Hill)
• North Carolina State University at Raleigh (Raleigh)
• Appalachian State University (Boone)
• University of North Carolina School of the Arts (Winston-Salem)
• University of North Carolina at Charlotte (Charlotte)

Private institutions in the state have a history of offering a liberal arts education, with many of the institutions being rooted in Christian methods of education or teachings as part of its foundation. This often includes connection to a specific denomination or church. Private schools tend to have higher tuition costs, lower student enrollment, and an excellent student to teacher ratio. Private institutions also receive little to no public funding, utilizing private sources and tuition fees to maintain operations, often leading to more extracurricular study programs, updated facilities, and specialized education.

Private colleges and universities in North Carolina Include:

• Salem College (Winston-Salem)
• New Life Theological Seminary (Charlotte)
• Brevard College (Brevard)
• Guilford College (Greensboro)
• Barton College (Wilson)

North Carolina is also home to career schools and community colleges. Career schools offer specialized education and training in specific areas of study, preparing individuals for entry into the workforce. Such schools can be found in most urban centers throughout the state. Community Colleges are managed and operated by the North Carolina Community College System and are located throughout the state. Such schools provide transfer opportunities to four year institutions or career training similar to those provided by career schools. Community colleges also confer two year associate degrees to graduates.