Universities in Raleigh, USA
- Rankings & Reviews -

Latest ranking updates related to universities in Raleigh
  • 06 Mar, 2024: Publication of Scimago Institutions Rankings. North Carolina State University ranked #173.
  • 25 Jan, 2024: THE World’s Most International Universities updated with North Carolina State University in position 142.
  • 19 Dec, 2023: Urap published most recent results of URAP World Ranking - University Ranking by Academic Performance. North Carolina State University achieves position 223.
  • 05 Dec, 2023: Latest QS World University Rankings: Sustainability from British Quacquarelli Symonds, UK. North Carolina State University in position #399.

Raleigh, located in the state of North Carolina, is often referred to by its locals as the “City of Oaks”, and is well known for being one of the cities included in Research Triangle Park, a research park which is home to hundreds of technology and science companies, start up businesses, and academic organisations.

As a city it offers all the amenities and entertainment options one could hope for, and furthermore with a cost of living below the baseline for the rest of the country.

With all of its work and study opportunities, there ought to be something to suit everyone’s tastes in Raleigh.


Rankings of universities in Raleigh, USA 2024

  • #70 
  • #251 
THE World University Rankings
[Published 27 September, 2023]
  • #117 
  • #117 
Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education US College Rankings
[Published 14 September, 2021]
  • #52 
  • #274 
QS World University Rankings
[Published 27 June, 2023]
Show 31 more rankings of North Carolina State University and subject specific rankings for 11 subjects

Student satisfaction: 4.8 / 5.0 (based on 484 student ratings)
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  • #1154 
  • #1211 
Payscale College Salary Report - Best Universities (Bachelors only)
[Published 11 November, 2021]
  • #129 
  • #130 
US News Best National Liberal Arts Colleges
[Published 27 October, 2023]
  • #429 
  • #401 
Kiplinger's Best College Values
[Published 31 July, 2019]
Show 2 more rankings of Meredith College

#3
USA

St. Augustine's University

  • #1426 
  • #1500 
Payscale College Salary Report - Best Universities (Bachelors only)
[Published 11 November, 2021]
  • #1415 
  • #1496 
Payscale College Salary Report - Best Universities (All Alumni)
[Published 11 November, 2021]
  • #1290 
  • #8023 
Webometrics Ranking Web of Universities
[Published 31 July, 2023]


#4
USA

Shaw University

Student satisfaction: 4.4 / 5.0 (based on 220 student ratings)
  • #1458 
  • #1535 
Payscale College Salary Report - Best Universities (Bachelors only)
[Published 11 November, 2021]
  • #1473 
  • #1559 
Payscale College Salary Report - Best Universities (All Alumni)
[Published 11 November, 2021]
  • #1332 
  • #8225 
Webometrics Ranking Web of Universities
[Published 31 July, 2023]

#5
USA

William Peace University

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  • #1436 
  • #8864 
Webometrics Ranking Web of Universities
[Published 31 July, 2023]

Highest subject rankings of universities in Raleigh

Entrepreneurship The Princeton Review: Top 50 Undergraduate Schools for Entrepreneurship
#15 
North Carolina State University
Engineering US News: Best Grad Schools (US)
#26 
North Carolina State University
Education US News: Best Grad Schools (US)
#28 
North Carolina State University
Agriculture URAP University Ranking by Academic Performance - By Field
#55 
North Carolina State University
Sociology GRAS Global Ranking of Academic Subjects - ShanghaiRanking
#76 
North Carolina State University
Computer Science Payscale College Salary Report - Best Schools by Majors
#98 
North Carolina State University
Chemistry GRAS Global Ranking of Academic Subjects - ShanghaiRanking
#151 
North Carolina State University
Law GRAS Global Ranking of Academic Subjects - ShanghaiRanking
#151 
North Carolina State University
Architecture URAP University Ranking by Academic Performance - By Field
#152 
North Carolina State University
Mathematics GRAS Global Ranking of Academic Subjects - ShanghaiRanking
#201 
North Carolina State University

Student Opinions About Studying in Raleigh

“There are a lot of really great universities with beautiful campuses here, and they tend to put on events which allow the general public to participate, which I really appreciate. When it comes to medical subjects you’re especially spoiled for choice here.”

“In Raleigh there are a lot of new jobs coming up all the time, if your speciality is education, medicine, or tech-related then it’s probably going to make your job search significantly faster.”

“I’ve been living here for a few years now and I would really recommend the North Hills area or downtown for any young people moving into Raleigh if they want to be in the middle of the best social opportunities the city has to offer.”

Raleigh Key Facts for International Students

PROS

  • Raleigh has a reputation for being a place where you can expect to find employment across a wide range of sectors, rather than in just a select few sectors which is usually the case for most cities.

  • This is a city well known for its parks and trails, as well as its thriving foodie culture with its emphasis on barbecue and ethnic cuisine, and a number of important museums such as the Museum of Art, and the Museum of Natural Sciences. Raleigh is also home to the largest beer garden in the world, which alone attracts vast numbers of visitors every year.

  • The cost of living in Raleigh is below the average for the USA, leaving residents with more money to spend on activities they enjoy.

CONS

  • While there are plenty of bars and lounges to go out and enjoy here, the nightlife scene could be much better, according to numerous residents.

  • There’s no subway system in Raleigh, and the bus service that is in place is not considered reliable by many of the current residents, whether it be due to the low volume of buses or its poor route coverage. Newcomers to this city should expect to have to use a car, or find the ideal apartment location for minimising commuting times.

  • Many residents lament that you never know how to dress in Raleigh because the weather can change very suddenly, so it’s recommended to dress in layers just to play it safe.


5 out of 5 Universities in Raleigh Ranked in at least one ranking

35 Different Rankings list Universities in Raleigh (26 institution and 9 subject rankings)

20 Global Rankings rank Universities in Raleigh Among TOP 200

Population: 452000

Elevation: 96 m. above sea level

Time: GMT -5

District/province: North Carolina, Wake County

Living costs for students in Raleigh:

* 100 = prices in London

  • Living costs without accommodation 84* (16% cheaper than London)
  • All costs including accommodation 69* (31% cheaper than London)
  • Meals (grocery & lower cost restaurants) 87* (13% cheaper than London)
  • Average Big Mac price 5.15 US$
  • Plug Type A
    • Residential voltage: 120 V
    • Frequency: 60 Hz
  • Plug Type B
    • Residential voltage: 120 V
    • Frequency: 60 Hz

Map with location of universities in Raleigh

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FAQ

North Carolina State University ranks #1 in Raleigh in our meta ranking composed of 112 university rankings.

Among all universities in Raleigh North Carolina State University is listed in the largest number of rankings. See all 44 rankings where North Carolina State University is listed.

North Carolina State University is ranked best in Raleigh for Business (Entrepreneurship). See all rankings for the North Carolina State University.

North Carolina State University is ranked best in Raleigh for Engineering (Engineering). See all rankings for the North Carolina State University.

North Carolina State University is ranked best in Raleigh for Education (Education). See all rankings for the North Carolina State University.

North Carolina State University is ranked best in Raleigh for Agriculture (Agriculture). See all rankings for the North Carolina State University.

North Carolina State University is ranked best in Raleigh for Social Studies & Humanities (Sociology). See all rankings for the North Carolina State University.

North Carolina State University is ranked best in Raleigh for Computer Science (Computer Science). See all rankings for the North Carolina State University.

North Carolina State University is ranked best in Raleigh for Natural Sciences (Chemistry). See all rankings for the North Carolina State University.

North Carolina State University is ranked best in Raleigh for Law (Law). See all rankings for the North Carolina State University.

North Carolina State University is ranked best in Raleigh for Architecture, Building & Planning (Architecture). See all rankings for the North Carolina State University.

North Carolina State University is ranked best in Raleigh for Mathematics (Mathematics). See all rankings for the North Carolina State University.

North Carolina State University is ranked best in Raleigh for Medicine & Health (Nursing & Health Care). See all rankings for the North Carolina State University.

Ranking publishers

4icu

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British Quacquarelli Symonds, UK

Criteria used in ranking -QS World University Rankings:

Academic Reputation 40% Employer Reputation 10% Faculty/Student Ratio 20% Citations per faculty 20% International Faculty Ratio 5% International Student Ratio 5%

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Criteria used in ranking -QS Employability Rankings:

Employer reputation 30% Alumni outcomes 25% Partnerships with Employers per Faculty 25% Employer/Student Connections 10% Graduate employment rate 10%

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CWUR Center for World University Rankings

Criteria used in ranking -CWUR Center for World University Rankings:

Research Performance: 40%

  • Research Output: 10%
  • High-Quality Publications: 10%
  • Influence: 10%
  • Citations: 10%

Quality of Education: 25%

Alumni Employment: 25%

Quality of Faculty: 10%

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Centre for Science and Technology Studies, Leiden University, Netherlands

Criteria used in ranking -CWTS Leiden Ranking:

Scientific Impact Number of Publications Collaboration Open Access Gender Diversity

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Forbes

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Kiplinger

Criteria used in ranking -Kiplinger's Best College Values:

Quality Criteria 55% Cost Criteria 45%

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MONEY

Criteria used in ranking -MONEY Best Colleges in America, ranked by value:

Quality of education 33.33% Affordability 33.33% Outcomes 33.33%

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NTU ranking

Criteria used in ranking -NTU Performance Ranking of Scientific Papers:

Research Productivity: 25%

  • # Articles last 11 years: 10%
  • # Articles current year: 15%

Research Impact: 35%

  • # Citations last 11 years: 15%
  • # Citations last 2 years: 10%
  • Average # citations last 11 years: 10%

Research Excellence: 40%

  • H-index last 2 years: 10%
  • # Highly cited papers last 11 years: 15%
  • # Articles current year in high-impact journals: 15%

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Nature Index

Criteria used in ranking -Nature Index - Academic:

Article count (AC) Fractional count (FC) Weighted fractional count (WFC)

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Payscale

Criteria used in ranking -Payscale College Salary Report - Best Universities (Bachelors only):

Ranking is based on ROI

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RUR Ranking Agency (Moscow, Russia)

Criteria used in ranking -RUR World University Rankings:

Teaching: 40%

  • Ratio Faculty/Student: 8%
  • Ratio Faculty/Bachelor Degrees Awarded: 8%
  • Ratio Faculty/Doctoral Degrees Awarded: 8%
  • Ratio Doctoral Degrees Awarded/Bachelor Degrees Awarded: 8%
  • World Teaching Reputation: 8%

Research: 40%

  • Citations per Academic/Research Staff: 8%
  • Doctoral Degrees per Accepted PhD: 8%
  • Normalized Citation Impact: 8%
  • Papers per Academic/Research Staff: 8%
  • World Research Reputation: 8%

International Diversity: 10%

  • International Faculty: 2%
  • International Students: 2%
  • International Co-Authored Papers: 2%
  • Reputation Outside Geographical Region: 2%
  • International Level: 2%

Financial Sustainability: 10%

  • Institutional Income per Faculty: 2%
  • Institutional Income per Student: 2%
  • Papers per Research Income: 2%
  • Research Income per Academic/Research Staff: 2%
  • Research Income per Institutional Income: 2%

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Criteria used in ranking -RUR Academic Rankings:

Normalized citation impact (Citations of research publications from all university authors compared with world averages) 20% Citation per papers 20% Papers per academic and research staff 20% International research reputation 20% Share of research publications written in international co-authorship 20%

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Criteria used in ranking -RUR Reputation Ranking:

Teaching Reputation 50% Research Reputation 50%

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Scimago Institutions

Criteria used in ranking -Scimago Institutions Rankings:

Research 50% Innovation 30%
Societal 20%

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ShanghaiRanking Consultancy

Criteria used in ranking -ARWU Academic Ranking of World Universities - ShanghaiRanking:

Quality of Education 10%

  • Alumni winning Nobel Prizes/Field Medals 10%

Quality of Faculty 40%

  • Staff winning Nobel Prizes/Field Medals 20%
  • Highly Cited Researchers 20%

Research Output 40%

  • Papers published in Nature and Science 20%
  • Papers indexed in Science Citation Index-Expanded & Social Science Citation Index 20%

Per Capita Performance 10%

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StuDocu

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THE Times Higher Education, UK

Criteria used in ranking -THE World University Rankings:

30% Teaching (the Learning Environment)

  • Reputation survey: 15%
  • Staff-to-student ratio: 4.5%
  • Doctorate-to-bachelor’s ratio: 2.25%
  • Doctorates-awarded-to-academic-staff ratio: 6%
  • Institutional income: 2.25%

30% Research (Volume, Income and Reputation)

  • Reputation survey: 18%
  • Research income: 6%
  • Research productivity: 6%

30% Citations (Research Influence)

7.5% International Outlook (Staff, Students and Research)

  • Proportion of international students: 2.5%
  • Proportion of international staff: 2.5%
  • International collaboration: 2.5%

2.5% Industry Income (Knowledge Transfer)"

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Criteria used in ranking -THE World Reputation Rankings:

Research Reputation 66,6% Teaching Reputation 33,3%

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Criteria used in ranking -THE World’s Most International Universities:

Proportion of international students 25% Proportion of international staff 25% Proportion of journal publications with one or more international co-authors 25% University’s international reputation 25%

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The Princeton Review

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Urap

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Us News

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Wallstreet Journal USA & THE Times Higher Education, UK

Criteria used in ranking -Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education US College Rankings:

Outcomes 40% (employability) Resources 30% Engagement 20% (teaching) Environment 10% (diversity)

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Washington Monthly

Criteria used in ranking -Washington Monthly - National Universities:

Social Mobility 33.33%
Research 33.33%
Community and National Service 33.33%

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Webometrics

Criteria used in ranking -Webometrics Ranking Web of Universities:

Visibility 50% Excellence 35% Transparency 10% Presence 5%

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