NC State vs. UNCW

Should I go to North Carolina State University at Raleigh or University of North Carolina at Wilmington? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if NC State or UNCW 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.

Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

ASU Clemson UNC Chapel Hill Virginia Tech UNC Charlotte UofSC Penn State ECU Ohio State Purdue Georgia UNCG
North Carolina State University at Raleigh vs. University of North Carolina at Wilmington comparison
North Carolina State University at Raleigh University of North Carolina at Wilmington College 3 College 4
North Carolina State University at Raleigh University of North Carolina at Wilmington
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

NC State UNCW
Location Raleigh, NC Wilmington, NC
Setting Large City Midsize City
Enrollment 37,323 17,987
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #118 #390
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ncsu.edu uncw.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

NC State UNCW
Tuition (In State) $6,535 $4,443
Tuition (Out of State) $29,407 $20,111
Room & Board $13,719 $12,605
Avg Net Price $14,860 $18,606
Avg Grant Aid $11,811 $6,516
% Receiving Grant Aid 50% 54%

Admission

NC State UNCW
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 40,049 17,370
Admitted 15,958 12,856
Acceptance Rate 39.8% 74%
Enrolled % 35.9% 21%
Avg High School GPA 3.83 3.56
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Very High Difficult
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 28/32 24/28
SAT Range 1300/1460 1220/1360
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, 2025 Feb 1, 2025

Academics

NC State UNCW
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (22%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • Agriculture (9%)
  • Social Sciences (5%)
  • Business (22%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Biology (8%)

Outcomes

NC State UNCW
Graduation Rate 72% 67%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $57,200 $44,700
Making Student Loan Payments 76% 64%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,782 $20,500
Median Loan Payment $214 $211

Diversity

NC State UNCW
% Men 14% 5%
% Women 13% 14%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 74% 78%
% Black 6% 5%
% Hispanic 5% 7%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 3%
% International 4% 1%
% Unknown Race 2% 3%

Students

NC State UNCW
% In-State 85% 77%
% Out-of-State 13% 22%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • North Carolina State University at Raleigh is larger than than UNCW based on total student enrollment (37,323 students vs. 17,987 students)

NC State vs. UNCW Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, NC State or UNCW?

  • North Carolina State University at Raleigh is 47.1% more expensive to attend than UNCW for in-state tuition ($6,535.00 vs. $4,443.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 46.2% higher at NC State than University of North Carolina at Wilmington ($29,407.00 vs. $20,111.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at North Carolina State University at Raleigh than UNCW ($14,860 vs. $18,606)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of North Carolina at Wilmington are 8.8% lower than costs at North Carolina State University at Raleigh ($12,605 vs. $13,719)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of North Carolina at Wilmington than North Carolina State University at Raleigh (54% vs. 50%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by North Carolina State University at Raleigh students is 81.3% larger than aid received University of North Carolina at Wilmington ($11,811 vs. $6,516)

NC State vs. UNCW Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at North Carolina State University at Raleigh (1264) is 102 points higher than at UNCW (1162)
  • Incoming NC State students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (29) than students at UNCW (25)
  • Accepted freshman NC State students have a 0.27 point higher average high school GPA (3.83) than students at UNCW (3.56)
  • UNCW has a higher acceptance rate (74%) than NC State (39.8%)

NC State vs. UNCW Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, NC State or UNCW? 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 UNCW and NC State.

  • The graduation rate at NC State is higher than University of North Carolina at Wilmington (72% vs. 67%)
  • Graduates from North Carolina State University at Raleigh earn on average $12,500 more per year than UNCW graduates after ten years. ($57,200 vs. $44,700)
  • University of North Carolina at Wilmington students graduate with a $282 lower median federal student loan debt than NC State graduates. ($20,500 vs. $20,782)
  • UNCW graduates are paying $3 less per month on federal student loans than NC State graduates. ($211 vs. $214)
  • More NC State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UNCW students, three years after graduation. (76% vs. 64%)

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