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North Carolina Teacher Colleges and Degrees Online Guide

This guide to teaching schools in North Carolina is designed to assist aspiring teachers looking to get certified to become a teacher in the state. There are several colleges and universities in the state that offer degree programs that prepare future teachers for a career in the classroom. For useful information on the various teaching degrees in North Carolina, take a look at the table of top-rated teaching programs and list of accredited teacher preparation programs found below as well as student reviews. Whether you’re looking for a new career or hoping to move up the ladder in an already established career as an educator, this guide can help you find the best teaching program for your needs.

Quick Facts

  • There are 105 colleges and universities with teacher degree programs in North Carolina.1
  • 59 colleges and universities offer an associate’s degree in education.*1
  • 45 colleges and universities offer a bachelor’s degree in education.*1
  • 33 colleges and universities offer a master’s or advanced degree in education.*1
  • 7 schools ranked in Kiplinger’s Best Values in Public Colleges in 2017.2
  • 8 schools ranked in US News Best Graduate Education Programs in 2017.3
  • 9 schools ranked in US News Best Online Graduate Education Programs in 2017.4
  • 35 not-for-profit teacher programs are accredited by the NCATE, TEAC, or CAEP.

*For not-for-profit colleges and universities with teacher degree programs.

Top-Ranked Education Programs in North Carolina

Kiplinger’s Best Values in Public Colleges 2017*

  • Appalachian State University (#71 in-state, #42 out-of-state)
  • North Carolina State University (#18 in-state, #9 out-of-state)
  • University of North Carolina-Asheville (#93 in-state, #92 out-of-state)
  • University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill (#1 in-state, #1 out-of-state)
  • University of North Carolina-Wilmington (#68 in-state, #62 out-of-state)
  • Western Carolina University (#98 in-state, #83 out-of-state)

*Institution-wide ranking.

US News Best Graduate Education Programs 2017

  • University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill (#31)
  • North Carolina State University-Raleigh (#55)
  • University of North Carolina-Charlotte (#69)
  • University of North Carolina-Greensboro (#80)
  • Appalachian State University (#112)
  • Western Carolina University (#135)
  • University of North Carolina-Wilmington (#141)
  • East Carolina University (#148)

US News Best Online Graduate Education Programs 2017

  • East Carolina University (#16)
  • University of North Carolina-Greensboro (#22)
  • North Carolina State University-Raleigh (#29)
  • North Carolina Central University (#56)
  • Queens University of Charlotte (#61)
  • Appalachian State University (#66-tie)
  • University of North Carolina-Pembroke (#66-tie)
  • University of North Carolina-Wilmington (#109)
  • North Carolina A&T State University (#173)

Teacher Preparation Programs Accredited by the NCATE, TEAC, or CAEP

  • Appalachian State University
  • Barton College
  • Bennett College
  • Campbell University
  • Catawba College
  • Chowan University
  • Duke University
  • East Carolina University
  • Elizabeth City State University
  • Elon University
  • Fayetteville State University
  • Gardner-Webb University
  • High Point University
  • Lees-McRae College
  • Lenoir-Rhyne University
  • Livingstone College
  • Mars Hill University
  • Meredith College
  • North Carolina A&T State University
  • North Carolina Central University
  • North Carolina State University
  • North Carolina Wesleyan College
  • Pfeiffer University
  • Queens University of Charlotte
  • Saint Andrews University
  • Salem College
  • Shaw University
  • The University of North Carolina at Asheville
  • The University of North Carolina at Pembroke
  • University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
  • University of North Carolina at Charlotte
  • University of North Carolina at Greensboro
  • University of North Carolina at Wilmington
  • Wake Forest University
  • Western Carolina University
  • Winston-Salem State University

Read more about the CAEP, NCATE, and TEAC accrediting bodies.

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Comparison of Teacher Preparation Programs

We have designed the following table to help you compare teacher preparation programs in North Carolina according to various factors. All of the schools included are not-for-profit institutions approved by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction for the preparation of teachers. Completing a state-approved teacher preparation program is an important step towards earning licensure.

While accreditation from the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) is not a requirement for licensure, it is included in the following table as CAEP provides a highly-regarded accreditation that is accepted in many states. We have also included rankings from the National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ), a research and policy group that scores teacher preparation programs at the national level using key standards chosen to measure students’ preparation for success in teaching. For further information on the NCTQ’s program rankings, please see the notes below the table.

You will also find data on teacher preparation program enrollment, completion, and licensing exam pass rates by institution for the 2014-2015 academic year in this table. These data points are collected from annual US Department of Education records under Title II (Teacher Quality) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), which provides for reporting that holds institutions and state departments of education accountable for increasing academic achievement through improvements in teacher quality.

Programs that are not ranked, or for which data is not available, in a given category are denoted as “-“.

State-Approved SchoolCAEP Accred.?5NCTQ Undergrad Elementary Prog. % (2016)**6NCTQ Undergrad Secondary Prog. % (2017)**6Teacher Prep Prog. Enrollment7Teacher Prep Prog. Completers7Licensing Exams Pass Rate7Net Price***1
Appalachian State UniversityYes52%97%230043592%$10,167
Barton CollegeYes12%1%412367%$21,293
Belmont Abbey CollegeNo——231867%$23,247
Bennett CollegeYes——54—$22,482
Brevard CollegeNo——1712100%$20,864
Campbell UniversityYes74%64%415989%$25,483
Catawba CollegeYes47%25%342983%$19,275
Chowan UniversityYes——431490%$16,717
Duke UniversityYes——2526100%$19,950
East Carolina UniversityYes—96%99245682%$12,817
Elizabeth City State UniversityYes—13%933658%$3,156
Elon UniversityYes95%61%1195595%$34,168
Fayetteville State UniversityYes——1233348%$5,787
Gardner-Webb UniversityYes41%—941869%$23,624
Greensboro CollegeNo—54%6911100%$26,305
Guilford CollegeNo52%74%161369%$26,606
High Point UniversityYes97%96%1037376%$38,317
Lees-McRae CollegeYes13%—372677%$24,251
Lenoir-Rhyne UniversityYes11%5%623286%$18,291
Livingstone CollegeYes——71—$17,655
Mars Hill UniversityYes4%—975188%$17,170
Meredith CollegeYes91%90%796590%$25,597
Methodist UniversityNo—18%1812—$30,543
Mid-Atlantic Christian UniversityNo——2——$15,864
Montreat CollegeNo—————$19,427
North Carolina A&T State UniversityYes45%—1195787%$9,548
North Carolina Central UniversityYes3%28%30215970%$10,835
North Carolina State UniversityYes43%—88824496%$13,066
North Carolina Wesleyan CollegeYes7%2%396—$17,814
Pfeiffer UniversityYes—46%432467%$19,543
Queens University of CharlotteYes——3637100%$26,386
Saint Andrews UniversityNo1%—591667%$25,682
Saint Augustine’s UniversityNo——43—$21,078
Salem CollegeYes——12053100%$17,013
Shaw UniversityYes——24—$18,126
University of Mount OliveNo——22135—$15,063
University of North Carolina-AshevilleYes—71%7146100%$11,571
University of North Carolina-Chapel HillYes66%—10011099%$10,077
University of North Carolina-CharlotteYes60%16%149243793%$12,084
University of North Carolina-GreensboroYes——50426883%$10,403
University of North Carolina-PembrokeYes8%28%68282—$10,566
University of North Carolina-WilmingtonYes—76%53725390%$16,218
Wake Forest UniversityYes52%—243690%$23,826
Western Carolina UniversityYes38%52%45420680%$13,646
William Peace UniversityNo——181895%$23,345
Wingate UniversityNo—81%11832100%$17,307
Winston-Salem State UniversityYes13%—573863%$10,340

*The NCTQ rated undergraduate elementary teaching programs in 2016 and undergraduate secondary teaching programs in 2017 by national percentile based on their overall scores on the NCTQ’s standards for teacher education. Schools that do not provide data on all key standards or that fall below the top 50% of schools nationally are not included by the NCTQ in their ratings. Visit the NCTQ website for more information on its standards and methodologies.
**Net price is per year for undergraduate tuition as calculated by the National Center for Education Statistics based on the cost of attendance (tuition, books, room and board, and related expenses) for students who qualify for in-state tuition and fees, less the average financial aid award (including grants and scholarships).

Profiles of Well-Known Schools

University of North Carolina: The University of North Carolina Chapel Hill is home to the country’s largest concentration of individuals with master’s degrees and is part of the research triangle that is made up of the University of North Carolina, North Carolina State University, and Duke University. Many of those scholars are trained and educated at the University of North Carolina School of Education. The School of Education is approved by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction and National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education. The Graduate Programs in school psychology are accredited by the American Psychological Association and Counseling for the Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs. The School of Education at UNC is home to thousands of undergraduates and graduate students and is one of the largest at UNC.

Duke University: Prestigious Duke University in Durham, North Carolina offers undergraduate studies in Education. The goal of the Duke Program in Education is to give its student’s dynamic learning opportunities outside the classroom that shape their thinking and skills. Duke’s education department is led by full-time faculty members all with doctoral degrees in the areas in which they instruct and research. Undergraduates are able to spend time with full tenured faculty learning and receiving mentorship both in and out of the classroom. The Duke Department of Education offers students a robust learning environment outside of the class with student-led organizations that provide enriching activities all to do with challenges and opportunities in education.

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School Programs for Becoming a Teacher in North Carolina

Request free information from the following schools to learn more about your options for choosing a teacher degree program. We recommend you: Request information from one or more of these schools

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Schools with Teaching Degree Programs in North Carolina

Note: Student Reviews are based on the experiences of a few individuals and it is unlikely that you will have similar results. Please review the “Data, Student Reviews and Other Information” section in our Terms of Use and Disclaimers.

Appalachian State University
Boone, NC 28608
(828) 262-2000
www.web.appstate.edu

Student Review: “I am now a sophomore at Appalachian State University in Boone, NC. I am currently taking summer school here and am living in an apartment right on the edge of campus. The weather here is amazing and the students here are quite conservative and very friendly. I lived in a dorm during my freshman year here and I really disliked it. Mainly because it was an all male dorm which became quite irritating after a while due to the noisy roommates that were on my particular floor. The janitor staff did clean the dorms but only to an extent that was just not clean enough for me. The teaching staff here is quite knowledgeable and most of them will provide help if needed by any student, which is very nice. The student population here is roughly seventeen thousand, which is kind of small for a college but not too small.” -Austin F., student at Appalachian State University

Barton College
200 ACC Drive NE
Wilson, NC 27893-7000
(252) 399-6300
www.barton.edu

Beaufort County Community College*
5337 Highway 264 E
Washington, NC 27889
(252) 946-6194

Bennett College
900 E Washington St
Greensboro, NC 27401-3239
(336) 517-2100
www.bennett.edu

Blue Ridge Community College-Flat Rock*
180 West Campus Dr
Flat Rock, NC 28731-4728
(828) 694-1700
www.blueridge.edu

Brevard College
One Brevard College Dr
Brevard, NC 28712
(828) 883-8292
www.brevard.edu

Brunswick Community College*
50 College Rd
Supply, NC 28462
(910) 755-7300
www.brunswickcc.edu

Campbell University
450 Leslie Campbell Ave
Buies Creek, NC 27506
(910) 893-1200

Catawba College
2300 W Innes St
Salisbury, NC 28144
(704) 637-4111
www.catawba.edu

Central Piedmont Community College*
1201 Elizabeth Ave
Charlotte, NC 28204
(704) 330-2722

Chowan University
One University Pl
Murfreesboro, NC 27855
(252) 398-6500
www.chowan.edu

Cleveland Community College*
137 S Post Rd
Shelby, NC 28152-6224
(704) 484-4000
www.clevelandcommunitycollege.edu

East Carolina University
East 5th St
Greenville, NC 27858-4353
(252) 328-6131
www.ecu.edu

Elizabeth City State University
1704 Weeksville Rd
Elizabeth City, NC 27909
(252) 335-3400

Elon University
100 Campus Dr
Elon, NC 27244-2010
(336) 278-2000

Student Review: “When I knew that I wanted to major in elementary education, I specifically chose Elon University because of its reputation. The class sizes were small (never more than 15 students per education course) and followed a cohort style which allowed me to get to know my classmates and professors on a much more personal level. The majority of the faculty that I worked with had personal experience in a classroom environment, which made me feel as though they really knew what they were talking about. The program offered me multiple opportunities to participate in a classroom environment in a variety of school settings (different grades, varying socioeconomic status of the school population, and even a special remedial school).” -Student at Elon University

Fayetteville State University
1200 Murchison Rd
Fayetteville, NC 28301-4298
(910) 672-1111
www.uncfsu.edu

Gardner-Webb University
Main St
Boiling Springs, NC 28017-0997
(704) 406-2361

Haywood Community College*
185 Freedlander Dr
Clyde, NC 28721-9901
(828) 627-2821
www.haywood.edu

High Point University
833 Montlieu Ave
High Point, NC 27262-3598
(336) 841-9000
www.highpoint.edu

Lees-McRae College
275 College Dr
Banner Elk, NC 28604-0128
(828) 898-5241
www.lmc.edu

Lenoir-Rhyne University
625 7th Ave NE
Hickory, NC 28601
(828) 328-1741
www.lr.edu

Livingstone College
701 W Monroe St
Salisbury, NC 28144
(704) 216-6000

Mars Hill College
100 Athletic St
Mars Hill, NC 28754
(828) 689-1307
www.mhc.edu

Meredith College
3800 Hillsborough St
Raleigh, NC 27607-5298
(919) 760-8600
www.meredith.edu

Methodist University
5400 Ramsey St
Fayetteville, NC 28311-1420
(910) 630-7000
www.methodist.edu

Mitchell Community College*
500 W Broad St
Statesville, NC 28677-5293
(704) 878-3200

North Carolina A & T State University
1601 E Market St
Greensboro, NC 27411
(336) 334-7500
www.ncat.edu

North Carolina Central University
1801 Fayetteville St
Durham, NC 27707
(919) 530-6100
www.nccu.edu

North Carolina State University at Raleigh
2101 Hillsborough St
Raleigh, NC 27695-7001
(919) 515-2011
www.ncsu.edu

Pfeiffer University
48380 Hwy 52 N
Misenheimer, NC 28109-0960
(704) 463-1360

Salem College
601 S Church St
Winston Salem, NC 27101
(336) 721-2600
www.salem.edu

Shaw University
118 East South St
Raleigh, NC 27601
(919) 546-8200

South Piedmont Community College*
680 Highway 74 West
Polkton, NC 28135
(704) 272-5300

Tri-County Community College*
4600 E US 64
Murphy, NC 28906
(828) 837-6810
www.tricountycc.edu

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
103 South Bldg Cb 9100
Chapel Hill, NC 27599
(919) 962-2211
www.unc.edu

University of North Carolina at Charlotte
9201 University City Blvd
Charlotte, NC 28223-0001
(704) 687-2000
www.uncc.edu

University of North Carolina at Greensboro
1000 Spring Garden St
Greensboro, NC 27402-6170
(336) 334-5000
www.uncg.edu

Student Review: “The University of North Carolina at Greensboro has an amazing music program that offers several opportunities to increase your ability as a musician. Unlike some schools, the music education program offers many chances to work and/or volunteer in a music classroom allowing the student to pursue a career path that they are sure about. Since UNCG is a school or research, the professors and very knowledgeable and up-to-date on all the current research, and personally know almost all of the pioneers in music education. Their music education program is set up so that the student can pursue a master’s degree and then successfully pursue their National Board Certification. The professors freely give out their personal contact information that students are free to use in case a problem should arise.” -Daniel D., student at University of North Carolina at Greensboro

University of North Carolina at Pembroke
One University Dr
Pembroke, NC 28372-1510
(910) 521-6000
www.uncp.edu

University of North Carolina-Wilmington
601 South College Rd
Wilmington, NC 28403-5963
(910) 962-3000
www.uncw.edu

Student Review: “Studying at the Watson School of Education was one of the best decisions I ever made in regard to furthering my career in teaching. My degree was concentrated in Primary Education, and I was supported and challenged throughout my three years in the department, all the way to graduation and then beyond. My professors were all highly knowledgeable individuals with decades, yes, decades of experience in the field of teaching, and the resources available to students were extraordinary. The teaching lab with classroom environment simulations, especially, was a valuable resource, as well as my two-year continuous internship with the local New Hanover County school district, in which I learned everything there is to know about K-5 education techniques and strategies. The connections and experiences I made during my time at the Watson School of Education have also helped me gain admission to grad school, where I am pursuing a Masters in education.” -George D., student at University of North Carolina-Wilmington

Vance-Granville Community College*
I85 and Poplar Creek Rd
Henderson, NC 27536
(252) 492-2061

Wake Forest University
1834 Wake Forest Rd
Winston Salem, NC 27106
(336) 758-5000
www.wfu.edu

Western Carolina University
Cullowhee, NC 28723-9646
(828) 227-7211
www.wcu.edu

Student Review: “The art education program at WCU is absolutely amazing. I enrolled there in the fall of 2006 and graduated in the fall of 2009. My biggest complaint at that time is that the advising was not very well aligned. The art ed program is a split of about 60% content courses to 40% education courses. Knowing this my advisor did not inform me about certain classes only being offered at certain times, and as a result, I spent an extra year in the program. However, beyond that one hiccup, I believe the program to be top notch. The facilities are excellent and well maintained, and the professors are amazing.” -Isaiah B., student at Western Carolina University

Western Piedmont Community College*
1001 Burkemont Ave
Morganton, NC 28655-4511
(828) 438-6141

Wingate University
220 North Camden Rd
Wingate, NC 28174-0157
(704) 233-8000
www.wingate.edu

Winston-Salem State University
601 Martin Luther King Jr Dr
Winston-Salem, NC 27110-0001
(336) 750-2000
www.wssu.edu

An asterisk (*) denotes a two-year or certificate program in education. While a two-year degree will not qualify graduates for teacher certification, it can be a good starting point for a teaching career. To learn more about what you can do with this degree, see our guide to associate’s degrees in education.

References:
1. National Center for Education Statistics College Navigator: https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/
2. Kiplinger’s Best College Values: https://www.kiplinger.com/tool/college/T014-S001-kiplinger-s-best-values-in-public-colleges/
3. 2017 US News Best Graduate Education Schools: https://www.usnews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-education-schools/edu-rankings
4. 2017 US News Best Online Graduate Education Schools: https://www.usnews.com/education/online-education/education/rankings
5. Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP): http://caepnet.org/provider-search
6. National Council on Teacher Quality 2014-2016 Teacher Preparation Program Review: https://www.nctq.org/review/home
7. US Department of Education 2016 Title II Reports: https://title2.ed.gov/Public/Home.aspx