State Colleges Near Raleigh, North Carolina

North Carolina State University

• Popularly known as N.C. State, North Carolina State University was founded in 1889 with just a handful of students and faculty. According to the College Board, the school now serves over 25,000 undergraduates and over 8,500 graduate students. A huge majority, 91%, of students hail from North Carolina originally. In terms of collegiate sports, N.C. State is a founding member of the A.C.C., one of the premier leagues in the N.C.A.A.

  North Carolina State University
  Box 7103
  Raleigh, NC 27695-7103
  919-515-2011
  ncsu.edu

University of North Carolina Chapel Hill

• N.C. State's cross town rival U.N.C. Chapel Hill was founded nearly a century earlier in 1795. According to U.S. News and World Reports, U.N.C. Chapel Hill is one of the top five public universities in the country, ranked behind only U.C.-Berkeley, U.C.L.A., U.V.A., and University of Michigan Ann Arbor. The school also lays claim to several academic points of pride including more Rhodes scholars since 2000 than any public institution, and over 715 million dollars worth of research grants and contracts in 2009. In total, U.N.C. has close to 18,000 undergrads and 11,000 graduate students according to the College Board. 83% of students come from in state. In addition to its academics, the school is well known for its sports teams, especially the men's basketball team.

  The University of North Carolina
  CB# 9100, 103 South Building
  Chapel Hill, NC 27599
  919-962-2211
  unc.edu

North Carolina Central University

• Compared to the other two state schools in the Raleigh metro area, North Carolina Central University is much smaller; only 9,000 students attend the college. Historically an African American university, North Carolina Central University began in 1910. From its founding, the college focused on providing a liberal arts education to its students. In 1972, the state reorganized its public universities, and North Carolina Central University became part of the consolidated University of North Carolina. Today, the school is the fastest growing campus in the system, according to the school's website. While 83% of students who attend come from North Carolina, the school's diversity has increased with current students hailing from more than twelve countries.

  North Carolina Central University
  1801 Fayetteville St.
  Durham, NC 27707
  919-530-6100
  ncccu.edu