Meredith College Named North Carolina’s Hidden Gem

Meredith College has been named North Carolina’s  “Hidden Gem” by College Raptor. Meredith was the only school selected for this recognition in our state. The College also ranked #17 on College Raptor’s Top Hidden Gem Colleges in the Southeast U.S. list.

Schools that rank within the top half of College Raptor’s overall rankings are considered for the Hidden Gem recognition, which aims to help prospective students explore strong schools that may not be on their radar. Factors including retention rates, graduation rates, student-to-faculty ratio, endowment per student, selectivity, and other metrics are all considered when developing the Hidden Gems lists.

College Raptor® is an online platform that provides tools, tips, and advice to help college-bound students throughout their entire college planning journey.

This accolade is the latest indicator of the value of a Meredith College education.

U.S. News Social Mobility Ranking
In September, U.S. News included Meredith College in a ranking that recognizes strong graduation rates for students with Pell grants. This was part of the U.S. News  2026 Best Colleges rankings. In its introduction of the Social Mobility rankings, U.S. News writes  “Economically disadvantaged students are less likely than others to finish college, even when controlling for their achievement in high school. But some colleges are more successful than others at advancing social mobility by enrolling and graduating large proportions of disadvantaged students awarded with Pell Grants.”

Niche Best Women’s Colleges
Meredith has also recently been named #11 in Best Women’s Colleges in America in Niche’s 2026 Best Colleges rankings. Meredith was the top-ranked women’s college in North Carolina. This list was calculated based on student reviews and other key factors, including academics and value.

Learn more about What Makes Us Strong