Greensboro's African American Community Newspaper since 1967
North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University has been named the nation’s No. 1 public historically Black college or university (HBCU) in U.S. News & World Report’s 2027 Best Colleges rankings.
Paired with double-digit gains across key undergraduate programs, the recognition marks steady progress toward N.C. A&T’s strategic goals of breaking into the top 100 public universities and top 200 national universities.
In the overall rankings, A&T jumped 13 spots in both categories, climbing to No. 116 among top public schools and No. 219 among all national universities. Among all HBCUs nationwide, A&T ranked No. 5, trailing only four private institution and tied Howard University with a 4.4 out of 5 peer assessment score, just behind Spelman College’s 4.5.
“Our responsibility as a public, land-grant HBCU is to bring academic excellence and opportunity together,” said Chancellor James R. Martin II. “These results reflect progress across the university, particularly in high-demand disciplines that are vital to our state and nation. And they come at a critical moment for higher education nationally as we all seek to underscore our value and importance to the economic success of America.”
Several key academic colleges and STEM programs saw notable gains:
Business: The Willie A. Deese College of Business and Economics surged 105 spots to No. 230, marking the single largest jump among the nation’s top 250 business programs.
Nursing: The undergraduate nursing program climbed 52 spots nationally.
Computer Science: Advanced 17 positions nationwide.
Engineering: Rose seven spots to No. 128 among doctoral-granting engineering colleges.
The university’s engineering prowess highlights its pipeline into high-demand careers. Federal data shows N.C. A&T ranks No. 1 nationally in bachelor’s degrees awarded to Black engineers, No. 5 in master’s degrees, and No. 7 in doctoral degrees.
“The breadth of these gains is encouraging, and our focus is on the academic work that sustains progress,” said Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Andrew P. Daire. “Continued improvement must translate into a stronger student experience and preparation for careers, advanced study and leadership.”
A&T also reinforced its reputation as an engine for economic equity, placing No. 54 among national universities for social mobility metric evaluating how successfully institutions enroll and graduate economically disadvantaged students.
The U.S. News ranking completes a recent sweep of top billing for the institution: Forbes rated A&T the country’s top public HBCU last month, aligning with earlier accolades from The Wall Street Journal/College Pulse.
Founded in 1891 in Greensboro under the second Morrill Act, North Carolina A&T is the nation’s largest HBCU, a constituent member of the University of North Carolina System. It is a premier research hub leading the nation in graduating African Americans in engineering, agriculture and other STEM professionals.
A&T is recognized widely for its national leadership in graduating African American students in engineering, agriculture and other STEM fields. The university was established in 1891 as only the second land-grant college created under the second Morrill Act and is located in Greensboro, North Carolina.
