


North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, commonly called North Carolina A&T, was founded in 1891 as a land-grant institution for Black students. Its agricultural and technical origins remain part of its identity, even as the university has expanded into a broad range of undergraduate and graduate fields.
The institution began in Raleigh as the Agricultural and Mechanical College for the Colored Race and moved to Greensboro in 1893. It later became North Carolina Agricultural and Technical College and received university status in 1967. It is now a public university in the University of North Carolina system and a historically Black college or university, or HBCU.
A&T students were among the Greensboro Four, whose sit-in at a segregated downtown lunch counter on February 1, 1960, helped energize the civil rights movement. That history remains visible in campus programming and in Greensboro's public history. For prospective students, A&T's present-day mix of engineering, agriculture, business, health, education and liberal arts programs reflects both its founding purpose and its subsequent growth.
North Carolina A&T organizes its academic programs across colleges and a Graduate College, rather than offering only the agricultural and technical subjects suggested by its name. Students can pursue bachelor's and graduate study in sciences, humanities, professional fields and applied research.
Its academic units include the College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences; College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences; College of Business and Economics; College of Education; College of Engineering; College of Health and Human Sciences; College of Science and Technology; and Graduate College. Representative fields include animal science, computer science, mechanical and electrical engineering, accounting, teacher education, psychology, social work and nursing.
Applicants should check the current academic catalog for the exact degree, department and campus or online format they want. Admission to the university does not necessarily mean immediate admission to a selective major, and fields involving clinical practice, teacher preparation or licensure may have additional progression requirements.
North Carolina A&T's main campus is in Greensboro, North Carolina, an urban setting in the state's Piedmont Triad region. Its location gives students access to city services, employers and other colleges while making transportation planning relevant for commuters and students living off campus.
Greensboro's public transit network serves parts of the city, but routes and schedules may not suit every class or work schedule. Piedmont Triad International Airport is the nearest major airport. Students comparing housing should consider travel time, parking rules and transportation costs alongside rent: institutional enrollment information indicates that commuting is common, with about 73% of students classified as commuters.
North Carolina A&T describes its mission in terms of teaching, research and public service as a public, historically Black, land-grant university. Its stated priorities include preparing students for professional and civic life and applying scholarship to problems affecting communities, the state and beyond.
The land-grant designation helps explain the university's continuing work in agriculture, engineering and community outreach; it does not limit students to those fields. Its stated vision emphasizes scholarly impact and educational access. These are institutional aims, not measures of an individual student's likely experience, so applicants should also examine the curriculum and support available in their intended program.
Name of the institution
North Carolina A & T State UniversityLevel of institution
Four or more yearsControl of institution
PublicSetting type
City: LargeInstitutional Category
Degree - granting, primarily baccalaureate or aboveInstitution size category
10,000 - 19,999School type
UniversityMain student body
CoeducationalCalendar system
SemestersFoundation year
1891North Carolina A & T State University is institutionally accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, an accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Accreditation confirms that the school meets quality standards and is required for students to receive federal financial aid.
Bachelor's degree
Postbaccalaureate certificate
Master's degree
Post-master's certificate
Doctor's degree - research/scholarship
Doctor's degree - professional practiceData last updated on November 5, 2026
Data sources: IPEDS 2024-25, Peterson 2026, College Scorecard 10/2026, Clery 2024 (2023-24), OpenAlex 2026
Figures on this profile come from federal and third-party datasets in the editions listed above and are refreshed periodically, so they may differ from what the institution currently reports. Confirm costs, deadlines and requirements with the school before making decisions.