Duke maintains top spot in North Carolina in 2027 US News college rankings

RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) — Duke University remains the top school in North Carolina in the latest U.S. News & World Report ranking.

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The 2027 list places Duke as the eighth best national university, down spots from its seventh-place finish last year, but still the highest in North Carolina and the highest in the South.

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill ranked at 27th overall, making it the second-highest in North Carolina, the highest public university in the state, and the fifth-highest public university in the nation.

North Carolina State University was the fourth-highest ranked in North Carolina and the state’s second-highest public university at 73rd.

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The third-highest university in North Carolina at 34th overall was Wake Forest University.

Also making the national universities list from central North Carolina were North Carolina Central University, which placed 308th, and Campbell University, which placed 342nd.

Outside of the national universities list, schools in central North Carolina received the following rankings:

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• Meredith College was 119th in national liberal arts colleges
• Fayetteville State University was 59th in regional universities in the South
• North Carolina Wesleyan University was 94th in regional universities in the South
• The University of Mount Olive was 100th in regional universities in the South
• Methodist University was 105th in regional universities in the South
• William Peace University was 13th in regional colleges in the South
• Barton College was 19th in regional colleges in the South
• Shaw University was 82nd in regional colleges in the South
• Saint Augustine’s University was 85th in regional colleges in the South