With the first “early decision” college-application deadline looming on Nov. 1, and tuition and room and board at a four-year college costing $24,920 – $58,600 per year, the personal-finance company WalletHub today released its 2026’s Best College & University Rankings report.
To help college-bound seniors make the most informed school choices, WalletHub compared nearly 800 higher-education institutions in the U.S. based on 30 key measures grouped into seven categories, such as Student Selectivity, Cost & Financing and Career Outcomes. The data set ranges from student-faculty ratio to graduation rate to post-attendance median salary.
Top 10 Colleges & Universities in North Carolina
| 1. Duke University | 6. Queens University of Charlotte |
| 2. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | 7. Meredith College |
| 3. Davidson College | 8. Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary |
| 4. Wake Forest University | 9. Salem College |
| 5. North Carolina State University at Raleigh | 10. University of North Carolina Wilmington |
School Snapshot: Davidson College (1 = Best; 15 = Average; 30 = Worst):
- 2nd – Admission Rate
- 26th – Net Cost
- 3rd – Student-Faculty Ratio
- 10th – On-Campus Crime
- 12th – Gender & Racial Diversity
- 2nd – Graduation Rate
- 2nd – Post-Attendance Median Salary
