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Rankings

North Carolina State is consistently ranked for its value and the quality education by organizations both national and international in their annual rankings.  Each organization uses its own metrics and formulas based on their respective interests.  By participating and presenting many different ranking results we hope to provide a holistic view of how NC State excels in comparison to other similar institutions.

U.S. News & World Report

US News – Best Colleges

20222023202420252026
National Universities#79 (tie)#72 (tie)#60 (tie)#58 (tie)#64 (tie)
Best Colleges for Veterans#45#41 (tie)#36#34#37 (tie)
Best Value Schools#59#66#53#60#66
Most Innovative Schools#70 (tie)#52 (tie)#48 (tie)
Top Performers on Social Mobility#211 (tie)#250 (tie)#178#153 (tie)#185 (tie)
Top Public Schools#32 #29 (tie)#28#26 (tie)#29 (tie)
Best Undergraduate Engineering Programs#36 (tie)#33 (tie)#30#30#35 (tie)
Biological / Agricultural Engineering#6 (tie)#6 (tie)#7#8#7 (tie)
Chemical Engineering#20 (tie)#17#17#17#17
Civil Engineering#31 (tie)#23 (tie)#21#27#23 (tie)
Electrical Engineering#19#19
Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering#19#14 (tie)
Industrial / Manufacturing Engineering#14 (tie)#15#12#13#11
Materials Engineering#19#20 (tie)#20#21#20 (tie)
Mechanical Engineering#28#29 (tie)#25#29#24 (tie)
Best Undergraduate Business Programs#84 (tie)#73 (tie)#70#65#77 (tie)
Analytics#27 (tie)#17 (tie)#21
Undergraduate Economics#99#102#87 (tie)
Best Undergraduate Computer Science#51 (tie)#54 (tie)#50#50#48
Software Engineering#9 (tie)#13 (tie)#11#17#11 (tie)
Undergraduate Psychology Programs#94#152 (tie)

Link: https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges/rankings/national-universities

Methodology: https://www.usnews.com/education/best-colleges/articles/how-us-news-calculated-the-rankings

Note: 2023 and 2024 rankings reflect 2022-2023 and 2023-2024 US News publication years, respectively. 

US News – Global Rankings

20212022202320242025
Overall Rank#226#227 (tie)#230#262 (tie)#269
Engineering#138#149#146 (tie)#207 (tie)#210
Energy and Fuels#64 (tie)#66#52 (tie)#110#142
Materials Science#67#68 (tie)#70#81#82 (tie)
Chemical Engineering#147#141 (tie)#134 (tie)#227
Electrical and Electronic Engineering#186 (tie)#203 (tie)#200#247 (tie)#229 (tie)
Civil Engineering#239
Physical and Life Sciences
Agricultural Sciences#48#61#60 (tie)#80#96
Biotechnology and Applied Microbiology#92#98#98#120#150 (tie)
Biology and Biochemistry#155 (tie)#133 (tie)#148#134#133
Chemistry#145 (tie)#171 (tie)#157 (tie)#161#178
Condensed Matter Physics#55#60#72#107
Ecology#173
Environment/Ecology#99#111 (tie)#142 (tie)#172#161 (tie)
Food Science and Technology#93#95#147#166 (tie)
Geosciences#225 (tie)#214#224 (tie)
Mathematics#60#74#81#120 (tie)#131
Microbiology#95 (tie)#70#81#71#100 (tie)
Molecular Biology and Genetics#158#149 (tie)#164 (tie)#226 (tie)#211 (tie)
Nanoscience and Nanotechnology#67#78#82 (tie)#101#109 (tie)
Physics#491
Physical Chemistry#85#87#102 (tie)#118 (tie)
Plant and Animal Science#35 (tie)#38#44#44#43
Polymer Science#41#46#100 (tie)#133
Computer Science#161 (tie)#189#209#224 (tie)#260 (tie)
Education#65
Economics and Business#208 (tie)#231#223 (tie)#297 (tie)#302 (tie)
Social Sciences
Social Sciences and Public Health#280 (tie)#258#253 (tie)#276 (tie)#280 (tie)
Psychiatry/Psychology#329
Public, Environmental and Occupational Health#347 (tie)
Clinical Health
Clinical Medicine#680 (tie)
Pharmacology and Toxicology#308 (tie)

Link: http://www.usnews.com/education/best-global-universities

Methodology: http://www.usnews.com/education/best-global-universities/articles/methodology

US News – Best Online Programs

20222023202420252026
Bachelor's #10 (tie)#18 (tie)#4 (tie)#32#38
Master's in Engineering #7 (tie)#11#19 (tie)#22 (tie)#29 (tie)
Master's in Civil Engineering #4#6 (tie)#3 (tie)#9 (tie)
Master's in Mechanical Engineering #4 (tie)#11 (tie)#5#10 (tie)
Master's in Industrial Engineering #7 (tie)#7#8 (tie)#11 (tie)
Master's in Electrical Engineering #8 (tie)#11#8 (tie)#6#6 (tie)
Master's in Engineering for Veterans#10#15#23#22#29
Master's in Engineering Management
Master's in Computer Information Technology #28 (tie)#9#18#13#18 (tie)
MBA #20 (tie)#37 (tie)#51 (tie)#42#42
MBA for Veterans#29 (tie)#46 (tie)#60 (tie)#49#54
Business Analytics MBA #9#8 (tie)#7 (tie)#8#12 (tie)
Master's in Business (non-MBA)#25
Master's in Business (non-MBA_ for Veterans#24 (tie)
Master's in Education #46 (tie)#30 (tie)#27 (tie)#20#18 (tie)
Master's in Education for Veterans#17#9 (tie)#11 (tie)#7#10
Master's in Educational Administration #20 (tie)#15 (tie)
Master's in Instructional Media
Master's in Curriculum and Instruction #19 (tie)#14
Master's in Educational Administration and Supervision#6 (tie)

Link: https://www.usnews.com/education/online-education/north-carolina-state-university-raleigh-199193

US News – Best Graduate Schools

2019202120232024
2025
Veterinary Medicine#4 (tie)#4 (tie)#4 (tie)#5 (tie)#5 (tie)
Statistics#16 (tie)#16 (tie)#11 (tie)#11 (tie)#11 (tie)
Best Engineering Schools#24 (tie)#25#26 #25 (tie)#27 (tie)
Nuclear Engineering#3#3#3 (tie)#3 (tie)#3 (tie)
Biological/ Agricultural Engineering#8#7#3 (tie)#4 (tie)#4
Industrial/ Manufacturing/ Systems Engineering#15 (tie)#16 (tie)#16 (tie)
Chemical Engineering#21 (tie)#21#20 (tie)
Environmental/ Environmental Health Engineering#26 (tie)#22 (tie)#21 (tie)
Materials Engineering#20 (tie)#23 (tie)#22 (tie)
Civil Engineering#24 (tie)#30 (tie)#26 (tie)
Aerospace/ Aeronautical/ Astronautical Engineering#29 (tie)#25 (tie)#27 (tie)
Computer Engineering#28 (tie)#22 (tie)#33 (tie)
Electrical/ Electronic/ Communications Engineering#35 (tie)#35 (tie)#34 (tie)
Mechanical Engineering#37 (tie)#46 (tie)#38 (tie)
Biomedical Engineering/ Bioengineering#33 (tie)#33 (tie)#45 (tie)
Computer Science#43 (tie)#43 (tie)#49 (tie)#50 (tie)#51 (tie)
Best Education Schools#45 (tie)#37 (tie)#28 (tie)#30 (tie)#27 (tie)
Education Administration and Supervision#22 (tie)#17 (tie)#14
Secondary Teacher Education#18 (tie)
Elementary Teacher Education#23 (tie)#22 (tie)
Curriculum and Instruction#29 (tie)#24 (tie)
Best Public Affairs Programs#47 (tie)#48 (tie)#49 (tie)#65 (tie)#61 (tie)
Nonprofit Management#28 (tie)#26 (tie)#24 (tie)#27 (tie)#27 (tie)
Mathematics#53 (tie)#53 (tie)#53 (tie)#51 (tie)#51 (tie)
Applied Math#21 (tie)#18 (tie)#18 (tie)
Sociology#47 (tie)#61 (tie)#61 (tie)#61 (tie)#51 (tie)
Economics#55 (tie)#55 (tie)#61 (tie)#61 (tie)#61 (tie)
Chemistry#52 (tie)#52 (tie)#62 (tie)#58 (tie)#58 (tie)
Best Business Schools#85 (tie)#64 (tie)#67 (tie)#66 (tie)
Business Analytics#13#27 (tie)
Part- Time MBA#57 (tie)#85 (tie)#57 (tie)
Physics#52 (tie)#52 (tie)#68 (tie)#67 (tie)#67 (tie)
Earth Sciences#68 (tie)#68 (tie)#70 (tie)#98 (tie)#98 (tie)
Social Work#96 (tie)#96 (tie)#79 (tie)#95 (tie)#95 (tie)
Biological Sciences#85 (tie)#85 (tie)#93 (tie)#93 (tie)#93 (tie)
Psychology#112 (tie)#112 (tie)#122 (tie)#122 (tie)#95 (tie)
History#86

Link: https://www.usnews.com/best-graduate-schools

Methodology: http://www.usnews.com/education/best-global-universities/articles/methodology

The Princeton Review

“The hottest college guidebook, a perennial favorite of the national media!”

Best Colleges:

20222023202420252026
The Best 387 CollegesThe Best 388 CollegesThe Best 389 CollegesThe Best 389 CollegesThe Best 390 Colleges
Best Value CollegesBest Value CollegesBest Value CollegesBest Value CollegesBest Value Colleges
Best Southeastern CollegesBest SoutheasternBest SouthBest SouthBest South
Top 50 Green Colleges #18Green CollegesGreen CollegesGreen CollegesGreen Colleges
Top 50 Entrepreneurship: Undergraduate #15Top 50 Entrepreneurship: Undergraduate #15Top 50 Entrepreneurship: Undergraduate #20
Top Southeast Entrepreneurship (Undergrad) #1Top Southeast Entrepreneurship (Undergrad) #1Top Southeast Entrepreneurship (Undergrad) #4
Top 20 Best Schools for Internships (Public) #12Top 20 Best Schools for Internships (Public) #12Top 20 Best Schools for Internships (Public) #16Top 20 Best Schools for Internships (Public) #15Top 20 Best Schools for Internships (Public) #15
Top 20 Best Schools for Financial Aid (Public) #17Top 20 Best Schools for Financial Aid (Public) #17Top 20 Best Schools for Financial Aid (Public) #7Top 20 Best Schools for Financial Aid (Public) #8
Top 50 Best Value Colleges (Public) #15Top 50 Best Value Colleges (Public) #15Top 50 Best Value Colleges (Public) #16Top 50 Best Value Colleges (Public) #9Top 50 Best Value Colleges (Public) #9
Top 20 Best Alumni Networks (Public) #12Top 20 Best Alumni Networks (Public) #12Top 20 Best Alumni Networks (Public) #13Top 20 Best Alumni Networks (public) #12Top 20 Best Alumni Networks (public) #11
Top 20 Best Value Colleges w/o Aid (Public) #12Top 20 Best Value Colleges w/o Aid (Public) #12Top 20 Best Value Colleges w/o Aid (Public) #18Top 20 Best Value Colleges w/o Aid (Public) #5Top 20 Best Value Colleges w/o Aid (Public) #6
Top 20 Best Schools for Making an Impact (Public) #16Top 20 Best Schools for Making an Impact (Public) #16Top 20 Best Schools for Making an Impact (public) #19
Great Health Services

Link: http://www.princetonreview.com/college-rankings/best-colleges

Times Higher Education

World University Rankings

“THE has been providing trusted performance data on universities for students and their families, university academics, university leaders, governments and industry, since 2004.”

Subject2022 2023202420252026
Overall#301-350#351-400#251-300#251-300#301-350
Education Studies:#99#101-125#126-150#126-150#126-150
Engineering & Technology:#101-125#101-125#101-125#101-125#101-125
Computer Sciences:#201-250#176-200#151-175#151-175#151-175
Social Sciences:#251-300#176-200#176-200#251-300#251-300
Life Sciences:#176-200#201-250#201-250#176-200#176-200
Physical Sciences:#251-300#201-250#176-200#176-200#201-250
Business & Economics:#201-250#251-300#251-300#251-300#251-300
Psychology:#201-250#251-300#201-250#201-250#201-250
Arts & Humanities:#401-500#301-400#301-400#301-400#401-500
Full ReportFull ReportFull ReportFull ReportFull Report

Impact Rankings

“The only global performance tables that assess universities against the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).”

202320242025
OverallTop 200 (out of 1,591)#201-300#201-300
Top SDG09 Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure
Top 200 out of 873
14 Life Below Water
#25 out of 628
09 Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure
101-200
2nd best SDG14 Life Below Water
47 out of 504
11 Sustainable Citie and Communities
101-200
14 Life Below Water
44 out of 711
3rd best SDG10 Reduced Inequalities
Top 200 out of 901
9 Industry, innovation and Infrastructure
101-200
06 Clean Water and Sanitation
80 out of 1042
Required for all17 Partnerships for the Goals17 Partnerships for the Goals
201-300
17 Partnerships for the Goals
801-1000 (out of 2389)
Full Report

Interdisciplinary Science Rankings

“The ranking, in association with Schmidt Science Fellows, provides universities with a benchmark of their interdisciplinary science work by measuring university performance in three areas: inputs (funding); process (measures of success, facilities, administrative support and promotion); and outputs (publications, research quality and reputation).”

2026
#37

QS Universities

“The most widely read university comparison of their kind. First published in 2004, the ranking highlights more than 800 of the top universities in the world, based on six key performance indicators.”

Overall Rankings:

20222023202420252026
#300 (tie) of 1,300#312 (tie) of 1,422#274311272

Sustainability Rankings:

(introduced fall 2022)20232024
20252026
700 institutions1403 institutions1751 institutionsnot availible
Overall#171-18039991103
Americas1002328
United States671418
Environmental Impact Rank#188 (tie)475Top 150
Social Impact Rank#166 (tie)271Top 100

Subject Rankings:

20212022202320242025
2026
Engineering & Technology#169 (tie)#228 (tie)#210#182#182#188
Chemical Engineering#151 - 200#151-200#101-150#101-150#151-200#151-200
Civil & Structural Engineering#151 - 200#151-200#151-200#151-200#151-200#201-275
Computer Science & Information Systems#251 - 300#201-250#251-300#201-250#201-250#301-350
Electrical & Electronic Engineering#151 - 200#151-200#151-200#151-200#151-200#151-200
Mechanical, Aeronautical & Manufacturing Engineering#148#151-200#151-200#151-200#151-200#151-200
Life Sciences & Medicine240 (tie)#256 (tie)#251#221#187#200
Agriculture & Forestry#33#22#22#29#31#25
Biological Sciences#151 - 200#201-250#151-200#151-200#196#180
Pharmacy and Pharmacology#201-250#151-200#201-250#201-250#201-250#201-250
Psychology#301-350#301-350
Veterinary Sciences#31 (tie)#16#22#23#20#13
Natural Sciences#231 (tie)#273 (tie)#248#221#216#262
Chemistry#251 - 300#251-300#201-250#201-250#201-250#201-250
Earth and Marine Sciences#201-275#201-275
Environmental Sciences#101 - 150#101-150#101-150#151-200#151-200#146
Geology#201-250#201-250
Materials Science#81#80 (tie)#101-150#101-150#143#103
Mathematics#201 - 250#151-200#201-250#201-250#201-250#301-350
Physics & Astronomy#301 - 350#351-400#301-350#301-350#251-300#251-300
Social Sciences & Management#360 (tie)#377 (tie)#397#394#401-450#451-500
Accounting & Finance#251-300#251-300#251-300#251-300#301-375#301-375
Business & Management Studies#301 - 350#301-350#301-350#301-350#301-350#351-400
Economics & Econometrics#201 - 250#251-300#201-250#251-300#201-300#151-200
Education#151 - 200#101-150#151-200#151-200#151-200#151-200
Politics#301-400#301-400
Statistics & Operational Research#51 - 100#51-100#51-100#51-100#101-150#51-100
Art & Design#101-150#151-200#101-150#101-150#151-200#201-300

Link: http://www.topuniversities.com/qs-world-university-rankings

Methodology: https://www.topuniversities.com/qs-world-university-rankings/methodology

Shanghai Rankings

“Since 2003 … based on transparent methodology and objective third-party data.”

Global Rankings

2022202320242025

Overall

 
#201 - 300
#201 - 300#201 - 300#201 - 300

Life Sciences

Agricultural Sciences#34#34#37#37
Veterinary Sciences#47#47#28
#28
Biological Sciences#201 - 300#201 - 300#151-200
Human Biological Sciences#401 - 500#401 - 500

Engineering

Electrical & Electronic Engineering#11#11#5#5
Chemical Engineering#31#31#76-100#101-150
Energy Science & Engineering#37#37#31#31
Metallurgical Engineering#40#40#51-75#51-75
Materials Science & Engineering#76 - 100#76 - 100#51-75#51-75
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology#76 - 100#76 - 100#101-150#101-150
Mining & Mineral Engineering#76 - 100#76 - 100
Biotechnology#76 - 100#76 - 100#76 - 100#76 - 100
Environmental Science & Engineering#76 - 100#76 - 100#76 - 100#76 - 100
Telecommunication Engineering#76 - 100#76 - 100#151-200#151-200
Biomedical Engineering#101 - 150#101 - 150#151-200#201-300
Water Resources#101 - 150#101 - 150#151-200#151-200
Food Science & Technology#101 - 150#101 - 150#76 - 100#76 - 100
Civil Engineering#151 - 200#151 - 200
Mechanical Engineering#201 - 300#201 - 300#76 - 100#76 - 100
Computer Science & Engineering#201 - 300#201 - 300#151-200#151-200
Instruments Science & Technology#201 - 300#201 - 300

Natural Sciences

Ecology#101 - 150#101 - 150#101-150#101-150
Chemistry#101 - 150#101 - 150#151-200#151-200
Oceanography#101 - 150#101 - 150#151-200#151-200
Atmospheric Science#101 - 150#101 - 150#151-200#151-200
Geography#151 - 200#151 - 200#151-200#201-300
Mathematics#151 - 200#151 - 200#401-500#401-500
Earth Sciences#201 - 300#201 - 300#151-200#201-300
Physics#301 - 400#301 - 400#301 - 400#301 - 400

Social Sciences

Statistics#28#28#24#24
Education#51 - 75#51 - 75#51-75#51-75
Public Administration#101 - 150#101 - 150#51-75#51-75
Hospitality & Tourism Management#101 - 150#101 - 150#101 - 150#101 - 150
Communication#151 - 200#151 - 200#101 - 150#101 - 150
Management#151 - 200#151 - 200#151-200#201-300
Economics#151 - 200#151 - 200#151-200#201-300
Business Administration#201 - 300#201 - 300#301-400#301-400
Public Health#201 - 300#201 - 300
Sociology#151-200
Psychology#301 - 400#301 - 400#151-200#301 - 400

Link: http://www.shanghairanking.com

Rank Among Domestic Universities

20202021202220232024
Overall#66 - 94#63 - 89#63 - 85#62-82
Metallurgical Engineering#14#11#8#40
Electrical & Electronic Engineering#7#9#9#11#5
Chemical Engineering#11#9#9#31#76-100
Energy Science & Engineering#12#11#9#37#31
Agricultural Sciences#11#12#12#34#37
Veterinary Sciences#11#9#12#47#28
Statistics#19#19#21#28#24

Link: http://www.shanghairanking.com

Military Times

“Helping veterans pick the right school to make the most of their education benefit.”

20212022202320242025
#146 overall, #35 in the Southeast, #139 in general education (non career/ technical) schools, and #122 in public schools#147 overall, #34 in the Southeast, #120 in Public, #128 in 4-year institutions, #131 in in-person education#60 overall, #15 in southeast, #54 in four-year institutions, #54 in in-person#61, #41 primarily in person, #4 in NC, #17 southeast, #48 in public#50 overall, #3 in North Carolina, #10 in Southeast, #37 in Traditional Universities, #41 in Public Schools, #47 in General Education (non-career/technical schools)

Link: 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024

Methodology: 2019, 2020, 2021-2023 (n/a), 2024

Military Friendly

“The Military Friendly® Schools survey is the longest-running most comprehensive review of college and university investments in serving military and veteran students.”

Military Friendly Schools:

2022-232023-242024-252025-262026-27
Top 10 Military Friendly School in the Tier 1 Research Institution category, Rank = 6
Top 10 Military Friendly School in the Tier 1 Research Institution category, Rank = 2Ranked Gold for military friendly school in their 1 research institution category, ranked #7 for military friendly for spousesRanked Gold for military friendly school in their 1 research institution category, ranked Top 10 for military friendly for spousesTop 10 Military Friendly School in the Tier 1 Research Institution category, Rank = 10
Designated Military Spouse Friendly School