Best small colleges in North Carolina
Colleges with fewer than 2,000 undergraduates, ranked by Compass Score.
Best small colleges in North Carolina34 schools
34 schools qualify, ranked by the Compass Score. The top 25 are shown.
How this list is made
- Schools in North Carolina.
- Accredited four-year undergraduate colleges.
- Fewer than 2,000 undergraduate students (federal enrollment).
- Each school needs a complete Compass Score, so every row shows a rating.
- Ordered by Compass Score, highest first. Schools with the same score share a rank.
Updated Oct. 20, 2026. Methodology. Spot an error? Send a correction.
- 1
Davidson College
Davidson, NC · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A+
- 1,904 undergraduates
- 91% graduate
- 2Tie
Manna University
Fayetteville, NC · Private nonprofitHonor RollExceptional: Compass grade A
- 172 undergraduates
- 80% graduate
- 2Tie
University of North Carolina School of the Arts
Winston Salem, NC · PublicExceptional: Compass grade A
- 902 undergraduates
- 78% graduate
- 4
Cabarrus College of Health Sciences
Concord, NC · Private nonprofitExceptional: Compass grade A
- 661 undergraduates
- 71% graduate
- 5
Carolinas College of Health Sciences
Charlotte, NC · PublicTop 1% for graduation
- 410 undergraduates
- 100% graduate
- 6
Meredith College
Raleigh, NC · Private nonprofitTop 21% for graduation
- 1,309 undergraduates
- 70% graduate
- 7
Queens University of Charlotte
Charlotte, NC · Private nonprofit#16 in North Carolina
- 1,373 undergraduates
- 61% graduate
- 8
Warren Wilson College
Swannanoa, NC · Private nonprofit#23 in North Carolina
- 742 undergraduates
- 42% graduate
- 9
Salem College
Winston-Salem, NC · Private nonprofit#24 in North Carolina
- 436 undergraduates
- 57% graduate
- 10
- 11
Catawba College
Salisbury, NC · Private nonprofit#26 in North Carolina
- 1,153 undergraduates
- 47% graduate
- 12Tie
Gardner-Webb University
Boiling Springs, NC · Private nonprofit#27 in North Carolina
- 1,840 undergraduates
- 55% graduate
- 12Tie
William Peace University
Raleigh, NC · Private nonprofit#27 in North Carolina
- 730 undergraduates
- 45% graduate
- 14Tie
Belmont Abbey College
Belmont, NC · Private nonprofit#30 in North Carolina
- 1,549 undergraduates
- 47% graduate
- 14Tie
University of Mount Olive
Mount Olive, NC · Private nonprofit#30 in North Carolina
- 1,937 undergraduates
- 52% graduate
- 16
Methodist University
Fayetteville, NC · Private nonprofit#33 in North Carolina
- 1,436 undergraduates
- 44% graduate
- 17
Johnson C Smith University
Charlotte, NC · Private nonprofit#34 in North Carolina
- 1,058 undergraduates
- 34% graduate
- 18
Saint Augustine's University
Raleigh, NC · Private nonprofit#35 in North Carolina
- 930 undergraduates
- 25% graduate
- 19
Carolina University
Winston-Salem, NC · Private nonprofit#36 in North Carolina
- 424 undergraduates
- 22% graduate
- 20
Bennett College
Greensboro, NC · Private nonprofit#37 in North Carolina
- 195 undergraduates
- 25% graduate
- 21
Lenoir-Rhyne University
Hickory, NC · Private nonprofit#38 in North Carolina
- 1,477 undergraduates
- 48% graduate
- 22
Greensboro College
Greensboro, NC · Private nonprofit#39 in North Carolina
- 809 undergraduates
- 46% graduate
- 23
Mars Hill University
Mars Hill, NC · Private nonprofit#40 in North Carolina
- 1,002 undergraduates
- 45% graduate
- 24
Guilford College
Greensboro, NC · Private nonprofit#41 in North Carolina
- 1,160 undergraduates
- 46% graduate
- 25
Compare cost and outcomes
| School | Net price a year | Median debt | Earnings 10 years out | Graduation rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Davidson College | $17,379 | $18,688 | $81,400 | 91% |
| Manna University | $15,210 | $13,450 | — | 80% |
| University of North Carolina School of the Arts | $14,906 | $23,870 | $38,357 | 78% |
| Cabarrus College of Health Sciences | $17,618 | $16,000 | $58,708 | 71% |
| Carolinas College of Health Sciences | — | $15,337 | $64,624 | 100% |
| Meredith College | $22,488 | $25,000 | $51,539 | 70% |
| Queens University of Charlotte | $30,857 | $25,000 | $57,673 | 61% |
| Warren Wilson College | $21,249 | $25,000 | $36,260 | 42% |
| Salem College | $18,277 | $26,649 | $44,640 | 57% |
| Brevard College | $23,509 | $25,000 | $43,545 | 49% |
| Catawba College | $17,879 | $25,000 | $48,793 | 47% |
| Gardner-Webb University | $17,674 | $24,222 | $48,039 | 55% |
| William Peace University | $21,649 | $22,250 | $46,643 | 45% |
| Belmont Abbey College | $24,639 | $26,000 | $47,937 | 47% |
| University of Mount Olive | $18,853 | $27,209 | $47,139 | 52% |
| Methodist University | $24,704 | $27,000 | $48,050 | 44% |
| Johnson C Smith University | $20,894 | $30,000 | $42,680 | 34% |
| Saint Augustine's University | $24,313 | $29,669 | $35,730 | 25% |
| Carolina University | $20,828 | $20,287 | $32,864 | 22% |
| Bennett College | $28,299 | $28,130 | $36,654 | 25% |
| Lenoir-Rhyne University | $20,689 | $26,000 | $45,543 | 48% |
| Greensboro College | $17,882 | $25,607 | $46,566 | 46% |
| Mars Hill University | $19,910 | $26,000 | $44,781 | 45% |
| Guilford College | $22,270 | $26,000 | $47,590 | 46% |
| Montreat College | $27,061 | $25,813 | $45,151 | 50% |
Net price is the average yearly cost after grants. Federal data (College Scorecard). “—” means the school reports no figure.
This list in other states
- Alabama 10
- Arizona 8
- Arkansas 13
- California 63
- Colorado 5
- Connecticut 10
- Florida 27
- Georgia 24
- Idaho 3
- Illinois 25
- Indiana 20
- Iowa 23
- Kansas 18
- Kentucky 18
- Louisiana 8
- Maine 11
- Maryland 13
- Massachusetts 31
- Michigan 23
- Minnesota 19
- Mississippi 8
- Missouri 31
- Montana 7
- Nebraska 12
- New Hampshire 7
- New Jersey 18
- New Mexico 7
- New York 55
- North Dakota 4
- Ohio 58
- Oklahoma 11
- Oregon 11
- Pennsylvania 69
- Puerto Rico 31
- South Carolina 19
- South Dakota 5
- Tennessee 24
- Texas 31
- Utah 7
- Vermont 4
- Virginia 30
- Washington 12
- West Virginia 12
- Wisconsin 15