Charlotte #1 Nationally In Diverse: Issues in Higher Education’s 2023 Diverse 100 rankings
UNC Charlotte stands at the forefront in North Carolina and among the nation’s top universities for conferring bachelor’s degrees to minority students, securing the No. 1 spot in Diverse: Issues in Higher Education’s 2023 Diverse 100 rankings.
Further solidifying its position, UNC Charlotte also clinched a place in the top 30 nationwide for graduating African American students with bachelor’s degrees across all disciplines. The rankings spotlight 27 undergraduate areas of study in Charlotte within the top 100 for African American graduates, boasting a dozen top 20 rankings, including:
- Allied Health, Intervention, and Treatment Professions – No. 3
- Foreign Language, Literature, and Linguistics – No. 3
- Math – No. 4
- Finance – No. 5
- Biological And Biomedical Sciences – No. 9
- Marketing – No. 10
- Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services – No. 14
- Architecture – No. 15
Jennifer Troyer, Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, emphasized the university’s commitment to diversity as a key factor in its success. Troyer stated, “As this region’s public research university, a major key to our success is UNC Charlotte’s remarkable diversity. Through intentional and innovative programs, Charlotte has become a national leader in erasing the equity gap and breaking down barriers to help all of our students succeed. National rankings such as the Diverse 100 illustrate this strong commitment.”
Each year, UNC Charlotte awards over 2,300 bachelor’s degrees to minority students.
Latinx/Hispanic graduates at UNC Charlotte, where the university leads North Carolina in awarding bachelor’s degrees to Hispanic/Latinx students, received 15 top 100 program rankings. Notable rankings include Finance at No. 23, Computer and Information Sciences at No. 31, Engineering Technologies at No. 33, and Marketing at No. 50. Over the past decade, the four-year graduation rates for African American and Hispanic/Latinx students have more than doubled at Charlotte.
In the realm of graduate programs, UNC Charlotte secured top 10 rankings in eight categories, standing at No. 3 among North Carolina-based universities for master’s degrees across all disciplines for African Americans.
Released on Nov. 9, these rankings stem from the magazine’s analysis of U.S. Department of Education reports for the 2021-22 academic year, representing the only national report on the ability of U.S. colleges and universities to award degrees to African American, Hispanic, Asian American, and Native American students.
UNC Charlotte continues its commitment to supporting students of all backgrounds with innovative programs such as 49er Connect. Launched during the COVID-19 pandemic, this program provides success guides for first-time, first-generation, and Pell-eligible students. Covering topics like time management, test-taking, and study strategies, the program expanded this fall to support transfer students.
These recent rankings further highlight UNC Charlotte’s success in creating inclusive educational opportunities for all students. In September, the university achieved recognition as one of the nation’s top 100 public universities in the 2024 U.S. News & World Report Best College rankings, with consistent recognition as a top performer in social mobility for four consecutive years.