North Carolina Public Colleges Ranked by Highest ACT Score

Below is a list of the 16 public colleges in North Carolina with the highest ACT Score for incoming freshmen. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill leads the list with an average ACT Score of 31. Alternatively, check out the SAT version of these rankings.

The ACT is a standardized test used by colleges to evaluate applicants. It is not a guarantee of success in college, but it is a strong indicator of academic potential.

List of North Carolina Public Colleges Ranked by Highest ACT Score
College Average ACT Score

Chapel Hill, North Carolina

 31

Raleigh, North Carolina

 30

Asheville, North Carolina

 26

Wilmington, North Carolina

 26

Winston Salem, North Carolina

 25

Boone, North Carolina

 24

Charlotte, North Carolina

 24

Greensboro, North Carolina

 24

Greenville, North Carolina

 23

Cullowhee, North Carolina

 22

Greensboro, North Carolina

 20

Pembroke, North Carolina

 20

Elizabeth City, North Carolina

 19

Fayetteville, North Carolina

 17

Durham, North Carolina

 17

Winston-Salem, North Carolina

 17
Search and filter all 16 colleges

This list is updated annually based on the latest data from the National Center for Education Statistics.
Last updated: August 2026

Data source: IPEDS 2025 survey for academic year 2024/2025 - National Center for Education Statistics.