Rutgers vs. NC State

Should I go to Rutgers University New Brunswick or North Carolina State University at Raleigh? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Rutgers or NC State is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

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Rutgers University New Brunswick vs. North Carolina State University at Raleigh comparison
Rutgers University New Brunswick North Carolina State University at Raleigh College 3 College 4
Rutgers University New Brunswick North Carolina State University at Raleigh
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Overview

Rutgers NC State
Location New Brunswick, NJ Raleigh, NC
Setting Small City Large City
Enrollment 50,637 36,700
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #112 #123
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website rutgers.edu ncsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Rutgers NC State
Tuition (In State) $12,900 $6,535
Tuition (Out of State) $30,600 $28,276
Room & Board $13,909 $12,748
Avg Net Price $17,535 $14,852
Avg Grant Aid $12,785 $9,181
% Receiving Grant Aid 57% 71%

Admission

Rutgers NC State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 41,654 35,568
Admitted 27,612 16,779
Acceptance Rate 66.3% 47.2%
Enrolled % 28.2% 33.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.3 3.83
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Exceptional Exceptional
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 28/33 28/33
SAT Range 1270/1480 1280/1460
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Jan 15, 2024

Academics

Rutgers NC State
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • Engineering (8%)
  • Engineering (22%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • Agriculture (9%)
  • Social Sciences (5%)

Outcomes

Rutgers NC State
Graduation Rate 77% 72%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $66,200 $57,200
Making Student Loan Payments 68% 76%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,215 $20,782
Median Loan Payment $229 $214

Diversity

Rutgers NC State
% Men 46% 51%
% Women 54% 49%
Racial Diversity Very High Low
HBCU No No
% White 42% 74%
% Black 7% 6%
% Hispanic 13% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 7% 4%
% Unknown Race 2% 2%

Students

Rutgers NC State
% In-State 85% 83%
% Out-of-State 8% 14%

Campus

Rutgers NC State
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes No
Daycare Facility Yes No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Rutgers University New Brunswick is larger than than NC State based on total student enrollment (50,637 students vs. 36,700 students)

Rutgers vs. NC State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Rutgers or NC State?

  • Rutgers University New Brunswick is 97.4% more expensive to attend than NC State for in-state tuition ($12,900.00 vs. $6,535.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 8.2% higher at Rutgers than North Carolina State University at Raleigh ($30,600.00 vs. $28,276.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at North Carolina State University at Raleigh than Rutgers ($14,852 vs. $17,535)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at North Carolina State University at Raleigh are 9.1% lower than costs at Rutgers University New Brunswick ($12,748 vs. $13,909)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at North Carolina State University at Raleigh than Rutgers University New Brunswick (71% vs. 57%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Rutgers University New Brunswick students is 39.3% larger than aid received North Carolina State University at Raleigh ($12,785 vs. $9,181)

Rutgers vs. NC State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Rutgers or NC State? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between NC State or Rutgers .

  • The average SAT score at North Carolina State University at Raleigh (1264) is 39 points higher than at Rutgers (1225)
  • Accepted freshman NC State students have a 0.53 point higher average high school GPA (3.83) than students at Rutgers (3.3)
  • Rutgers has a higher acceptance rate (66.3%) than NC State (47.2%)

Rutgers vs. NC State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Rutgers or NC State? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between NC State and Rutgers.

  • The graduation rate at Rutgers is higher than North Carolina State University at Raleigh (77% vs. 72%)
  • Graduates from Rutgers University New Brunswick earn on average $9,000 more per year than NC State graduates after ten years. ($66,200 vs. $57,200)
  • North Carolina State University at Raleigh students graduate with a $1,433 lower median federal student loan debt than Rutgers graduates. ($20,782 vs. $22,215)
  • NC State graduates are paying $15 less per month on federal student loans than Rutgers graduates. ($214 vs. $229)
  • More NC State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Rutgers students, three years after graduation. (76% vs. 68%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/