Best Arts &amp; Design Colleges in North Carolina (2026)

14%

14% Acceptance

Highly Selective

Enrollment

1,901

Campus Size

Small (< 2,000)

Out-of-State Tuition

$60,300

Net Price

$18,127

Graduation Rate

92%

Median Earnings

$81,400

Elon University

Elon, NC

6,402 students · Medium (2,000–15,000)

3.6

Privatemedium

67%

67% Acceptance

Open Admissions

Enrollment

6,402

Campus Size

Medium (2,000–15,000)

Out-of-State Tuition

$44,536

Net Price

$41,048

Graduation Rate

83%

Median Earnings

$74,545

High Point University

High Point, NC

4,970 students · Medium (2,000–15,000)

3.1

Privatemedium

77%

77% Acceptance

Open Admissions

Enrollment

4,970

Campus Size

Medium (2,000–15,000)

Out-of-State Tuition

$44,208

Net Price

$40,721

Graduation Rate

69%

Median Earnings

$61,389

Queens University of Charlotte

Charlotte, NC

1,362 students · Small (< 2,000)

3.0

68%

68% Acceptance

Open Admissions

Enrollment

1,362

Campus Size

Small (< 2,000)

Out-of-State Tuition

$43,285

Net Price

$27,786

Graduation Rate

67%

Median Earnings

$57,673

University of North Carolina at Charlotte

Charlotte, NC

23,567 students · Large (> 15,000)

3.2

Publiclarge

80%

80% Acceptance

Open Admissions

Enrollment

23,567

Campus Size

Large (> 15,000)

Out-of-State Tuition

$21,876

Net Price

$14,745

Graduation Rate

69%

Median Earnings

$57,289

East Carolina University

Greenville, NC

19,857 students · Large (> 15,000)

3.1

Publiclarge

90%

90% Acceptance

Open Admissions

Enrollment

19,857

Campus Size

Large (> 15,000)

Out-of-State Tuition

$23,638

Net Price

$16,514

Graduation Rate

64%

Median Earnings

$55,146

University of North Carolina Wilmington

Wilmington, NC

14,176 students · Medium (2,000–15,000)

3.3

74%

74% Acceptance

Open Admissions

Enrollment

14,176

Campus Size

Medium (2,000–15,000)

Out-of-State Tuition

$22,985

Net Price

$19,472

Graduation Rate

73%

Median Earnings

$54,967

Appalachian State University

Boone, NC

19,304 students · Large (> 15,000)

3.3

Publiclarge

89%

89% Acceptance

Open Admissions

Enrollment

19,304

Campus Size

Large (> 15,000)

Out-of-State Tuition

$24,537

Net Price

$16,487

Graduation Rate

74%

Median Earnings

$51,836

Meredith College

Raleigh, NC

1,288 students · Small (< 2,000)

3.1

75%

75% Acceptance

Open Admissions

Enrollment

1,288

Campus Size

Small (< 2,000)

Out-of-State Tuition

$43,936

Net Price

$20,197

Graduation Rate

66%

Median Earnings

$51,539

Western Carolina University

Cullowhee, NC

9,867 students · Medium (2,000–15,000)

3.0

87%

87% Acceptance

Open Admissions

Enrollment

9,867

Campus Size

Medium (2,000–15,000)

Out-of-State Tuition

$8,532

Net Price

$12,579

Graduation Rate

60%

Median Earnings

$49,458

Catawba College

Salisbury, NC

1,127 students · Small (< 2,000)

2.9

78%

78% Acceptance

Open Admissions

Enrollment

1,127

Campus Size

Small (< 2,000)

Out-of-State Tuition

$33,400

Net Price

$18,210

Graduation Rate

54%

Median Earnings

$48,793

University of North Carolina at Greensboro

Greensboro, NC

13,848 students · Medium (2,000–15,000)

2.9

90%

90% Acceptance

Open Admissions

Enrollment

13,848

Campus Size

Medium (2,000–15,000)

Out-of-State Tuition

$23,339

Net Price

$10,170

Graduation Rate

58%

Median Earnings

$48,160

Methodist University

Fayetteville, NC

1,425 students · Small (< 2,000)

2.3

75%

75% Acceptance

Open Admissions

Enrollment

1,425

Campus Size

Small (< 2,000)

Out-of-State Tuition

$39,664

Net Price

$24,978

Graduation Rate

41%

Median Earnings

$48,050

Gardner-Webb University

Boiling Springs, NC

1,836 students · Small (< 2,000)

2.6

87%

87% Acceptance

Open Admissions

Enrollment

1,836

Campus Size

Small (< 2,000)

Out-of-State Tuition

$33,450

Net Price

$24,137

Graduation Rate

57%

Median Earnings

$48,039

Barton College

Wilson, NC

1,020 students · Small (< 2,000)

96%

96% Acceptance

Open Admissions

Enrollment

1,020

Campus Size

Small (< 2,000)

Out-of-State Tuition

$35,600

Net Price

$23,665

Graduation Rate

49%

Median Earnings

$47,913

Guilford College

Greensboro, NC

1,011 students · Small (< 2,000)

84%

84% Acceptance

Open Admissions

Enrollment

1,011

Campus Size

Small (< 2,000)

Out-of-State Tuition

$41,140

Net Price

$21,200

Graduation Rate

49%

Median Earnings

$47,590

William Peace University

Raleigh, NC

661 students · Small (< 2,000)

2.3

97%

97% Acceptance

Open Admissions

Enrollment

661

Campus Size

Small (< 2,000)

Out-of-State Tuition

$33,150

Net Price

$21,728

Graduation Rate

44%

Median Earnings

$46,643

Greensboro College

Greensboro, NC

656 students · Small (< 2,000)

2.2

92%

92% Acceptance

Open Admissions

Enrollment

656

Campus Size

Small (< 2,000)

Out-of-State Tuition

$20,400

Net Price

$19,314

Graduation Rate

40%

Median Earnings

$46,566

Lenoir-Rhyne University

Hickory, NC

1,348 students · Small (< 2,000)

81%

81% Acceptance

Open Admissions

Enrollment

1,348

Campus Size

Small (< 2,000)

Out-of-State Tuition

$30,900

Net Price

$23,393

Graduation Rate

51%

Median Earnings

$45,543

Mars Hill University

Mars Hill, NC

995 students · Small (< 2,000)

2.3

78%

78% Acceptance

Open Admissions

Enrollment

995

Campus Size

Small (< 2,000)

Out-of-State Tuition

$37,270

Net Price

$20,313

Graduation Rate

41%

Median Earnings

$44,781

Salem College

Winston-Salem, NC

390 students · Small (< 2,000)

2.7

87%

87% Acceptance

Open Admissions

Enrollment

390

Campus Size

Small (< 2,000)

Out-of-State Tuition

$32,236

Net Price

$18,835

Graduation Rate

59%

Median Earnings

$44,640

North Carolina A & T State University

Greensboro, NC

11,925 students · Medium (2,000–15,000)

3.0

46%

46% Acceptance

Moderately Selective

Enrollment

11,925

Campus Size

Medium (2,000–15,000)

Out-of-State Tuition

$20,408

Net Price

$10,980

Graduation Rate

56%

Median Earnings

$44,440

University of North Carolina Asheville

Asheville, NC

2,790 students · Medium (2,000–15,000)

2.9

94%

94% Acceptance

Open Admissions

Enrollment

2,790

Campus Size

Medium (2,000–15,000)

Out-of-State Tuition

$24,809

Net Price

$12,865

Graduation Rate

57%

Median Earnings

$44,030

Brevard College

Brevard, NC

760 students · Small (< 2,000)

40%

40% Acceptance

Moderately Selective

Enrollment

760

Campus Size

Small (< 2,000)

Out-of-State Tuition

$31,250

Net Price

$21,376

Graduation Rate

37%

Median Earnings

$43,545