2026 Best Computer Science Schools in North Carolina
Looking for the best Computer Science degree programs in North Carolina? We have ranked 163 colleges by overall quality and student outcomes, using our 2026 methodology. Our scores reflect factors such as graduation rate, post-graduation earnings, cost, and admissions selectivity.
To arm you with the information you need, Computer Science Degree evaluated 129 schools to build this 2026 ranking, drawing primarily on U.S. Department of Education data (IPEDS and College Scorecard). View our full ranking methodology.
Top 25 Computer Science Degree Schools in North Carolina
Here are the top-ranked schools:
Leading the list is Duke University, our #1 Computer Science school in North Carolina. This private not-for-profit school is set in Durham, NC. The six-year graduation rate is 97%. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $68,758. Typical Computer Science student debt is $13,296. See the full Duke University profile
Request InformationYou'll be in good company at Wake Technical Community College, which ranked #2 this year. Set in Raleigh, NC, Wake Technical Community College is a public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $2,254, while out-of-state students pay about $6,862. Graduates carry a median of $17,900 in student loans. Read more about Wake Technical Community College
Request InformationA rank of #3 makes University Of North Carolina At Chapel Hill one of the top choices in North Carolina. University Of North Carolina At Chapel Hill is a public school based in Chapel Hill, NC. University Of North Carolina At Chapel Hill posts a six-year graduation rate of 91%. In-state tuition and fees average $8,994, with out-of-state students paying around $41,203. University Of North Carolina At Chapel Hill Computer Science students take on a median of $15,117 in debt. More on University Of North Carolina At Chapel Hill
Request InformationOut of the 129 schools in North Carolina in this year's ranking, Wake Forest University landed the #4 spot. Wake Forest University is a private not-for-profit school based in Winston-Salem, NC. About 89% of students finish within six years. Students from in state pay about $67,642 in tuition and fees. Graduates carry a median of $21,577 in student loans. More on Wake Forest University
Request InformationA rank of #5 makes North Carolina State University At Raleigh one of the top choices in North Carolina. Located in Raleigh, NC, North Carolina State University At Raleigh is a public institution. The six-year graduation rate is 85%. In-state tuition and fees run about $8,799, compared with $32,847 for out-of-state students. Typical Computer Science student debt is $22,113. More on North Carolina State University At Raleigh
Request InformationCentral Piedmont Community College placed #6 among Computer Science schools in North Carolina. Located in Charlotte, NC, Central Piedmont Community College is a public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $2,792, while out-of-state students pay about $8,936. Typical Computer Science student debt is $11,861. More on Central Piedmont Community College
Request InformationUniversity Of North Carolina At Greensboro did well this year, earning the #7 position. This public school is set in Greensboro, NC. The six-year graduation rate is 56%. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $7,661, while out-of-state students pay about $24,012. Students borrow a median of $24,977 to complete their Computer Science program here. See the full University Of North Carolina At Greensboro profile
Request InformationEast Carolina University placed #8 among Computer Science schools in North Carolina. Set in Greenville, NC, East Carolina University is a public institution. The six-year graduation rate is 63%. Students from in state pay about $7,361 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $23,638. The median Computer Science program debt is $24,747. Read more about East Carolina University
Request InformationAppalachian State University did well this year, earning the #9 position. Appalachian State University is a public school based in Boone, NC. About 74% of students finish within six years. In-state tuition and fees run about $7,579, with out-of-state students paying around $25,212. Graduates carry a median of $21,992 in student loans. Read the full report on Appalachian State University
Request InformationStrayer University North Carolina ranked #10 on our 2026 list of the best Computer Science schools. This private for-profit school is set in Greensboro, NC. Roughly 33% of students complete a degree within six years here. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $13,920. The median Computer Science program debt is $47,631. Read more about Strayer University North Carolina
Request InformationRowan Cabarrus Community College landed the #11 spot in North Carolina this year. Set in Salisbury, NC, Rowan Cabarrus Community College is a public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $2,064, while out-of-state students pay about $6,672. Students borrow a median of $10,867 to complete their Computer Science program here. Read more about Rowan Cabarrus Community College
Request InformationUniversity Of North Carolina At Charlotte came in at #12 in this year's ranking. Set in Charlotte, NC, University Of North Carolina At Charlotte is a public institution. About 69% of students finish within six years. Students from in state pay about $7,239 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $22,492. Students borrow a median of $24,673 to complete their Computer Science program here. Read more about University Of North Carolina At Charlotte
Request InformationNorth Carolina A And T State University did well this year, earning the #13 position. Located in Greensboro, NC, North Carolina A And T State University is a public institution. About 57% of students finish within six years. In-state tuition and fees average $6,813, with out-of-state students paying around $20,673. The median Computer Science program debt is $29,078. More on North Carolina A And T State University
Request InformationUniversity Of North Carolina At Wilmington ranked #14 on our 2026 list of the best Computer Science schools. This public school is set in Wilmington, NC. The six-year graduation rate is 71%. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $7,277, while out-of-state students pay about $24,152. Typical Computer Science student debt is $23,013. Get the full University Of North Carolina At Wilmington report
Request InformationGuilford Technical Community College landed the #15 spot in North Carolina this year. This public school is set in Jamestown, NC. Students from in state pay about $2,320 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $7,696. Graduates carry a median of $20,501 in student loans. More on Guilford Technical Community College
Request InformationCampbell University came in at #16 in this year's ranking. This private not-for-profit school is set in Buies Creek, NC. The six-year graduation rate is 60%. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $41,600. Typical Computer Science student debt is $23,641. Read the full report on Campbell University
Request InformationNorth Carolina Central University did well this year, earning the #17 position. This public school is set in Durham, NC. The six-year graduation rate is 42%. In-state tuition and fees average $6,699, with out-of-state students paying around $19,735. Typical Computer Science student debt is $31,173. Read more about North Carolina Central University
Request InformationWinston Salem State University did well this year, earning the #18 position. Winston Salem State University is a public school based in Winston-Salem, NC. Winston Salem State University posts a six-year graduation rate of 47%. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $6,126, compared with $16,782 for out-of-state students. Graduates carry a median of $27,653 in student loans. More on Winston Salem State University
Request InformationFayetteville State University did well this year, earning the #19 position. Located in Fayetteville, NC, Fayetteville State University is a public institution. The six-year graduation rate is 38%. In-state tuition and fees average $4,353, compared with $8,353 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $27,869 to complete their Computer Science program here. See the full Fayetteville State University profile
Request InformationGuilford College came in at #20 in this year's ranking. Guilford College is a private not-for-profit school based in Greensboro, NC. Guilford College graduates 46% of students within six years. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $41,362. Typical Computer Science student debt is $26,571. More on Guilford College
Request InformationAsheville Buncombe Technical Community College ranked #21 on our 2026 list of the best Computer Science schools. This public school is set in Asheville, NC. In-state tuition and fees run about $2,882, compared with $9,026 for out-of-state students. Graduates carry a median of $18,883 in student loans. Get the full Asheville Buncombe Technical Community College report
Request InformationUniversity Of North Carolina At Pembroke came in at #22 in this year's ranking. Located in Pembroke, NC, University Of North Carolina At Pembroke is a public institution. University Of North Carolina At Pembroke posts a six-year graduation rate of 44%. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $3,648, compared with $7,648 for out-of-state students. Typical Computer Science student debt is $27,089. Read more about University Of North Carolina At Pembroke
Request InformationBarton College
Barton College landed the #23 spot in North Carolina this year. Get the full Barton College report
Request InformationUniversity Of North Carolina System did well this year, earning the #24 position. Read more about University Of North Carolina System
Request InformationCape Fear Community College ranked #25 on our 2026 list of the best Computer Science schools. Read more about Cape Fear Community College
Request InformationRest of the Top 50 Best Computer Science Degree Schools in North Carolina
These schools also placed among the very best this year:
Paul Mitchell The School Raleigh did well this year, earning the #26 position. Get the full Paul Mitchell The School Raleigh report
Request InformationGalen Health Institutes Asheville did well this year, earning the #27 position. More on Galen Health Institutes Asheville
Request InformationNo Grease Barber School placed #28 among Computer Science schools in North Carolina. Read the full report on No Grease Barber School
Request InformationPinnacle Institute Of Cosmetology ranked #29 on our 2026 list of the best Computer Science schools. See the full Pinnacle Institute Of Cosmetology profile
Request InformationSalem College
Salem College did well this year, earning the #30 position. Get the full Salem College report
Request InformationMiller Motte College Wilmington placed #31 among Computer Science schools in North Carolina. Get the full Miller Motte College Wilmington report
Request InformationElon University
Elon University landed the #32 spot in North Carolina this year. Read more about Elon University
Request InformationCatawba College
Catawba College placed #33 among Computer Science schools in North Carolina. See the full Catawba College profile
Request InformationGardner Webb University placed #34 among Computer Science schools in North Carolina. See the full Gardner Webb University profile
Request InformationOne Stop Academy
One Stop Academy landed the #35 spot in North Carolina this year. Read more about One Stop Academy
Request InformationGwinnett College
Gwinnett College placed #36 among Computer Science schools in North Carolina. Get the full Gwinnett College report
Request InformationEmpire Beauty School Pineville did well this year, earning the #37 position. More on Empire Beauty School Pineville
Request InformationHalifax Community College landed the #38 spot in North Carolina this year. Read more about Halifax Community College
Request InformationWinston Salem Barber School did well this year, earning the #39 position. See the full Winston Salem Barber School profile
Request InformationTri County Community College ranked #40 on our 2026 list of the best Computer Science schools. See the full Tri County Community College profile
Request InformationChamberlain University North Carolina placed #41 among Computer Science schools in North Carolina. More on Chamberlain University North Carolina
Request InformationMars Hill College ranked #42 on our 2026 list of the best Computer Science schools. Get the full Mars Hill College report
Request InformationDavidson County Community College did well this year, earning the #43 position. Read the full report on Davidson County Community College
Request InformationSampson Community College placed #44 among Computer Science schools in North Carolina. Get the full Sampson Community College report
Request InformationMycomputercareeredu Raleigh landed the #45 spot in North Carolina this year. See the full Mycomputercareeredu Raleigh profile
Request InformationRoanoke Chowan Community College placed #46 among Computer Science schools in North Carolina. Read more about Roanoke Chowan Community College
Request InformationCatawba Valley Community College placed #47 among Computer Science schools in North Carolina. More on Catawba Valley Community College
Request InformationElevate Salon Institute Durham landed the #48 spot in North Carolina this year. See the full Elevate Salon Institute Durham profile
Request InformationBladen Community College ranked #49 on our 2026 list of the best Computer Science schools. Get the full Bladen Community College report
Request InformationEmpire Beauty School Charlotte landed the #50 spot in North Carolina this year. More on Empire Beauty School Charlotte
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Ranking Methodology & Notes
This list is compiled by Computer Science Degree (DMS_RANKING_2023), 2026 edition. Rankings consider a blend of student outcomes (graduation rate, post-graduation earnings), affordability, and admissions data drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: Dms College Quality · Scope: State · 129 schools evaluated. *Averages shown above reflect the top 163 ranked schools only.
References
- Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) — National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education (core institutional data).
- College Scorecard — U.S. Department of Education (graduate earnings and outcomes data).