NC State vs. Wisconsin

Should I go to North Carolina State University at Raleigh or University of Wisconsin Madison? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if NC State or Wisconsin 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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North Carolina State University at Raleigh vs. University of Wisconsin Madison comparison
North Carolina State University at Raleigh University of Wisconsin Madison College 3 College 4
North Carolina State University at Raleigh University of Wisconsin Madison
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Overview

NC State Wisconsin
Location Raleigh, NC Madison, WI
Setting Large City Midsize City
Enrollment 37,323 49,605
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #118 #110
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ncsu.edu wisc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

NC State Wisconsin
Tuition (In State) $6,535 $9,644
Tuition (Out of State) $29,407 $39,042
Room & Board $13,719 $13,500
Avg Net Price $14,860 $14,216
Avg Grant Aid $11,811 $11,350
% Receiving Grant Aid 50% 49%

Admission

NC State Wisconsin
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 40,049 63,505
Admitted 15,958 27,529
Acceptance Rate 39.8% 43.3%
Enrolled % 35.9% 28.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.83 3.88
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Very High Exceptional
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 28/32 28/32
SAT Range 1300/1460 1360/1510
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 Jan 15, 2025

Academics

NC State Wisconsin
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (22%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • Agriculture (9%)
  • Social Sciences (5%)
  • Social Sciences (15%)
  • Biology (12%)
  • Business (10%)
  • Engineering (8%)
  • Communication (6%)

Outcomes

NC State Wisconsin
Graduation Rate 72% 82%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $57,200 $64,800
Making Student Loan Payments 76% 84%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,782 $22,250
Median Loan Payment $214 $230

Diversity

NC State Wisconsin
% Men 14% 12%
% Women 13% 14%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 74% 76%
% Black 6% 2%
% Hispanic 5% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 3%
% International 4% 8%
% Unknown Race 2% 0%

Students

NC State Wisconsin
% In-State 85% 48%
% Out-of-State 13% 44%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of Wisconsin Madison is larger than than NC State based on total student enrollment (49,605 students vs. 37,323 students)

NC State vs. Wisconsin Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, NC State or Wisconsin?

  • University of Wisconsin Madison is 47.6% more expensive to attend than NC State for in-state tuition ($9,644.00 vs. $6,535.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 32.8% higher at Wisconsin than North Carolina State University at Raleigh ($39,042.00 vs. $29,407.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Wisconsin Madison than NC State ($14,216 vs. $14,860)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Wisconsin Madison are 1.6% lower than costs at North Carolina State University at Raleigh ($13,500 vs. $13,719)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at North Carolina State University at Raleigh than University of Wisconsin Madison (50% vs. 49%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by North Carolina State University at Raleigh students is 4.1% larger than aid received University of Wisconsin Madison ($11,811 vs. $11,350)

NC State vs. Wisconsin Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Wisconsin Madison (1300) is 36 points higher than at NC State (1264)
  • Incoming NC State students have at the same average ACT score (29) as students at Wisconsin (29)
  • Accepted freshman Wisconsin students have a 0.05 point higher average high school GPA (3.88) than students at NC State (3.83)
  • Wisconsin has a higher acceptance rate (43.3%) than NC State (39.8%)

NC State vs. Wisconsin Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Wisconsin is higher than North Carolina State University at Raleigh (82% vs. 72%)
  • Graduates from University of Wisconsin Madison earn on average $7,600 more per year than NC State graduates after ten years. ($64,800 vs. $57,200)
  • North Carolina State University at Raleigh students graduate with a $1,468 lower median federal student loan debt than Wisconsin graduates. ($20,782 vs. $22,250)
  • NC State graduates are paying $16 less per month on federal student loans than Wisconsin graduates. ($214 vs. $230)
  • More Wisconsin graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former NC State students, three years after graduation. (84% vs. 76%)

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