Education

K-12 Education

Johnston County Public Schools (JCPS) serves more than 37,000 students in grades pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade. Doubling the student population in the past 15 years, Johnston County currently has 23 elementary schools, 12 middle schools and 10 high schools, all which are fully accredited.

Johnston County also has two Cooperative Innovative High School (CIHS) programs on the campus of Johnston Community College: Johnston County Career and Technical Leadership Academy and Johnston County Early College Academy.

Colleges and Universities

As part of the Research Triangle region, Johnston County boasts access to some of the best colleges and universities in the world. For proof, you need look no further than Duke, UNC-Chapel Hill and NC State. These three Tier One research universities sit within minutes of each other and combine to spend close to $2 billion annually on research initiatives. More and more, these universities (and others in the area) are actively pursuing options to commercialize their research — leading to new jobs and investments in our region.

Barton College

• Private, four-year, liberal arts college in Wilson, NC
• Founded in 1902 with eight schools offering over 30 academic majors
• Enrollment of 1,000 students from 21 states and 18 foreign countries

Campbell University

• Private, four-year, liberal arts university in Buies Creek, NC
• Founded in 1887, affiliated with the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina
• Extended campuses in the Research Triangle Park, Camp Lejeune, Fort Bragg/Pope Air Force Base, and Raleigh, where the law school relocated to in 2009
• Norman Adrian Wiggins School of Law in Raleigh graduates approximately 450 students per year

Duke University

• Private, four-year, top-tier research university in Durham, NC
• Founded in 1838, historically affiliated with the United Methodist Church
• Enrollment of 15,892 students, 6:1 student to faculty ratio
• Ranked #8 in the 2019 edition of Best Colleges in National Universities

Johnston Community College

• Public, two-year, accredited institution in Smithfield, NC, 30 miles east of Raleigh
• Founded in 1969 and offers associate degrees, certificates and diplomas in more than 40 programs of study
• Serves more than 15,000 students annually
• Multiple campuses throughout the county – Cleveland Center, the Biopharma Workforce Development Center, and Howell Woods Environmental Learning Center

Durham Technical Community College

• Public, two-year, accredited institution near downtown Durham, NC
• Offers more than 100 degrees, diplomas, and certificates
• Serves more than 15,000 students annually
• Durham Tech has partnership agreements with UNC System colleges

Meredith College

• Independent private women’s college, chartered in 1891
• 80+ undergraduate majors, minors and concentrations / 16 coeducational graduate and certificate programs
• Approximately 1,949 students with an average class size of 17 students
• Dual degree engineering program offered in partnership with NC State University
• Beautiful 225-acre campus located near downtown Raleigh

University of Mount Olive

• Private, four-year, liberal arts institution located in Mt. Olive, NC
• Founded in 1951 by the Convention of the Free Will Baptists
• Offers eight locations in eastern North Carolina
• 3,199 students, 14:1 student to faculty ratio

North Carolina Central University

• Nation’s first public liberal arts institution founded for African Americans
• Founded in 1909 as the National Religious Training School and Chautauqua by Dr. James Edward Shepard
• 8,097 students, 16:1 student to faculty ratio
• 33 undergraduate degrees / 29 graduate degrees

North Carolina State University

• Public, four-year, top-tier research university in Raleigh, NC
• Founded in 1887; 10 colleges representing all major academic fields
• Enrollment of 35,479 students, 13:1 student to faculty ratio
• NC State ranks #5 among national research universities in producing Fulbright Scholars

William Peace University

• Private, four-year, liberal arts university in Raleigh, NC
• Founded in 1857, and affiliated with the Presbyterian Church
• Nearly 30 majors offered at the undergraduate level
• 13:1 student to faculty ratio

St. Augustine’s University

• Private, four-year, historically black college in Raleigh, NC
• Founded in 1867 by the Episcopal Diocese of NC
• Average enrollment of 1,000+
• Offers more than 20+ undergraduate degree programs and 15+ minors

UNC – Chapel Hill

• Public, four-year, top-tier research university in Chapel Hill, NC
• Founded in 1795 and is the nation’s first public university
• Flagship of the 17 campuses of the University of North Carolina system
• Enrollment of 29,911, 13:1 student to faculty ratio

Wake Technical Community College

• Public, two-year community college in Raleigh, NC
• Founded in 1963 and offers more than 240 degrees, diplomas and certificates
• Serves over 74,000 students annually
• Six campuses, three training centers, multiple community sites and an array of online learning options