The Wall Street Journal/College Pulse 2025 national rankings recognize North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University as the nation’s top public historically Black university.

The ranking assesses how effectively colleges prepare their graduates for financial success, focusing on factors such as graduation rates and future earnings rather than institutional reputation or financial health. 

Among the 500 universities evaluated, 14 HBCUs made the list, with eight being public institutions. Following North Carolina A&T in the rankings of public HBCUs are Florida A&M University, North Carolina Central University, Prairie View A&M University, Tennessee State University, Savannah State University, Jackson State University, and Alcorn State University.

On the private HBCU front, Spelman College topped the list, followed by Tuskegee University, Howard University, Xavier University of Louisiana, Morehouse College, and Clark Atlanta University.

North Carolina A&T is one of 13 campuses in the state that are included in the overall rankings. It also features prominent institutions such as Davidson College, Duke University, and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Notably, both A&T and UNC-Chapel Hill are among nine campuses in the University of North Carolina system that earned a spot in the rankings.