Address: 20 Watauga Club Drive, 27695 Raleigh, North Carolina, United States
Engineering, Agriculture, Veterinary Medicine
North Carolina State University was created by the North Carolina General Assembly on 7 March 1887 as the North Carolina College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts, a land-grant school established under the Morrill Act of 1862. It opened in 1889 and today is a public research university in Raleigh, one of three anchor universities of the Research Triangle with Duke University and UNC Chapel Hill.
The campus lies west of downtown Raleigh on about 2,100 acres. In 1987 the university gained Centennial Campus, a mixed-use site where academic units work beside corporate and government research partners. Teaching is organised into colleges that include Engineering, Agriculture and Life Sciences, Sciences, Humanities and Social Sciences, Natural Resources, Education, Design, Veterinary Medicine, Wilson College of Textiles and the Poole College of Management.
NC State enrolled about 39,000 students in fall 2025, with bachelor’s, master’s, doctoral and veterinary degrees on offer. Programme listings, fees and entry requirements appear in the university catalog and on ncsu.edu, with separate pages for undergraduate and graduate applicants.
Domains taught:
Agriculture, AI and Machine Learning, Data Analytics, Engineering, Life Sciences, Materials, Software Engineering
Diplomas*:
Bachelor, Doctor, Master
Status:
Public
Partnerships:
Part of the Research Triangle Park ecosystem with Duke and UNC Chapel Hill. Strong industry partnerships in technology, agriculture, textiles, and advanced manufacturing. Leader in extension services. Centennial Campus integrates academia and industry.
Research:
A leading research university with strengths in engineering (electrical, nuclear, materials), agriculture, data science, materials science, textiles, and veterinary medicine. High research activity.
Famous Alumnis:
John Edwards, Zach Galifianakis, Thurl Bailey, Robert Gibbs, Raj Soin
International recognition**:
Number of staff***:
9200
Current students***:
38100
Foreign students***:
10%
Cumulative former students***:
265000
Pros
Strong engineering and agricultural programs, located in the Research Triangle providing industry and research opportunities, good value for a public university, innovative Centennial Campus model.
Cons
Large student population, some programs are highly competitive, campus is spread out.
Best For
Students interested in engineering, agriculture, design, textiles or veterinary medicine, often valuing hands-on learning, industry connections to the Research Triangle, and applied research.
*our own picks (our criteria: a mix between domains, diploma delivered, reputation and size), but obviously too many criteria for an apple-to-apple ranking.
FAQ
How did NC State begin?
The state legislature chartered it on 7 March 1887 as the North Carolina College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts. The first classes took place in 1889.
What does land-grant status mean here?
NC State was established under the federal Morrill Act of 1862, which supported colleges teaching agriculture and the mechanic arts. That mission still shows in its agriculture, engineering and extension work.
Where is the campus?
The campus lies west of downtown Raleigh and covers about 2,100 acres. Centennial Campus, created in 1987, adds a research-park setting for university and partner organisations.
Which colleges does the university have?
Colleges include Engineering, Agriculture and Life Sciences, Sciences, Natural Resources, Design, Education, Veterinary Medicine, Textiles and Management. A Graduate School oversees advanced degrees.
What is its place in the Research Triangle?
NC State, Duke University and UNC Chapel Hill are the region's three anchor universities. Their proximity supports joint research and industry links.
How large is the student body?
About 39,000 students were enrolled in fall 2025, according to published census data. The majority work toward bachelor's degrees.
*: without any judgment of the quality, readers are strongly encouraged to check the official status of the exact diploma envisioned as many universities have a mix of recognized diplomas, not recognized, “co-delivered,” “equivalent to”, “some pathways” (…), can change over time, and can be named differently from one country to another.
**: international reputation: is based on some criteria that do not mean much in some domains or specialties (number of researchers, of scientific publications, on budget ….). Our approximate 1-4 scale:
known locally
known locally and internationally
is listed in some of the world university’s classifications
is listed among the 20 firsts in some of world university’s classifications
***: estimated numbers, based on online sources and/or feedbacks. The numbers can vary greatly depending on school organisation (ex.: school is part of a group, it employs internal staff or external consultants or has public staff without employing them …). Refer to all the links provided to have accurate and updated numbers.
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