4 NC colleges rank among nation’s best for career success (one is No. 2)

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Cue “Pomp and Circumstance” — LinkedIn says when it comes to setting graduates up for long-term success, four North Carolina colleges are among the nation’s best.

Durham’s own Duke University was the highest-ranked of the bunch, coming in at No. 2 on the Top 50 list. The business networking site also recognized Wake Forest University (No. 17), UNC Chapel Hill (No. 45), and Davidson College (No. 47).

It’s the second year LinkedIn has published a list highlighting prestigious colleges “whose graduates achieve the strongest career outcomes.” The rankings, published in early August, were based on internal data analyzing the post-graduate success of “millions of alumni” on the platform.

“We can see how graduates build their careers over time, from landing their first jobs to growing their professional networks and advancing into leadership roles,” Laura Lorenzetti, VP and executive editor at LinkedIn, said in a news release.

“Our goal is to give students and families another lens to help inform one of life’s biggest decisions.”

Colleges were ranked using five metrics: job placement, internship and recruiter demand, career success, network strength and knowledge breadth. To be considered, schools must:

North Carolina colleges are no stranger to being recognized among the best of the best for higher education. In its annual college rankings, U.S. News & World Report crowned Catawba College in Salisbury the best regional college in the entire South.

The outlet also praised UNC-Chapel Hill for providing the best value to in-state students, and it ranked Duke among the nation’s Top 10 private universities, The News & Observer previously reported.

North Carolina A&T State University in Greensboro holds the title for third-best historically Black college or university in the U.S., according to Niche.com rankings. This fall, it welcomed a record 3,214 first-year students, continuing the university’s 13-year growth streak.

Davidson College recently placed 75th on Forbes’ top colleges list for 2027, which analyzed post-graduate success outcomes, average student debt and return on investment.

These colleges and universities were ranked the nation’s 10 best for producing the strongest career outcomes for its graduates, according to LinkedIn:

Jane Winik Sartwell contributed reporting.

This story was originally published October 9, 2026 at 9:47 AM with the headline “4 NC colleges rank among nation’s best for career success (one is No. 2).”