NC State vs. Wake Forest

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

NC State Wake Forest
Location Raleigh, NC Winston Salem, NC
Setting Large City Midsize City
Enrollment 37,323 9,121
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #118 #44
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ncsu.edu wfu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

NC State Wake Forest
Tuition (In State) $6,535 $63,608
Tuition (Out of State) $29,407 $63,608
Room & Board $13,719 $17,848
Avg Net Price $14,860 $27,790
Avg Grant Aid $11,811 $55,090
% Receiving Grant Aid 50% 34%

Admission

NC State Wake Forest
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 40,049 17,479
Admitted 15,958 3,768
Acceptance Rate 39.8% 21.6%
Enrolled % 35.9% 36.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.83 -
Typical High School Grades A- -
Admissions Standards Very High Exceptional
Applicant Competition Low Very High
ACT Range 28/32 32/34
SAT Range 1300/1460 1390/1510
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 1, 2025

Academics

NC State Wake Forest
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (22%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • Agriculture (9%)
  • Social Sciences (5%)
  • Business (21%)
  • Social Sciences (20%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Psychology (7%)

Outcomes

NC State Wake Forest
Graduation Rate 72% 88%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $57,200 $77,200
Making Student Loan Payments 76% 88%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,782 $23,000
Median Loan Payment $214 $237

Diversity

NC State Wake Forest
% Men 14% 16%
% Women 13% 24%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 74% 72%
% Black 6% 6%
% Hispanic 5% 7%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 3%
% International 4% 7%
% Unknown Race 2% 0%

Students

NC State Wake Forest
% In-State 85% 15%
% Out-of-State 13% 76%

Campus

NC State Wake Forest
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 Wake Forest based on total student enrollment (37,323 students vs. 9,121 students)

NC State vs. Wake Forest Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, NC State or Wake Forest?

  • Wake Forest University is 873.3% more expensive to attend than NC State for in-state tuition ($63,608.00 vs. $6,535.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 116.3% higher at Wake Forest than North Carolina State University at Raleigh ($63,608.00 vs. $29,407.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at North Carolina State University at Raleigh than Wake Forest ($14,860 vs. $27,790)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at North Carolina State University at Raleigh are 30.1% lower than costs at Wake Forest University ($13,719 vs. $17,848)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at North Carolina State University at Raleigh than Wake Forest University (50% vs. 34%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Wake Forest University students is 366.4% larger than aid received North Carolina State University at Raleigh ($55,090 vs. $11,811)

NC State vs. Wake Forest Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • NC State has a higher acceptance rate (39.8%) than Wake Forest (21.6%)

NC State vs. Wake Forest Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, NC State or Wake Forest? 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 Wake Forest and NC State.

  • The graduation rate at Wake Forest is higher than North Carolina State University at Raleigh (88% vs. 72%)
  • Graduates from Wake Forest University earn on average $20,000 more per year than NC State graduates after ten years. ($77,200 vs. $57,200)
  • North Carolina State University at Raleigh students graduate with a $2,218 lower median federal student loan debt than Wake Forest graduates. ($20,782 vs. $23,000)
  • NC State graduates are paying $23 less per month on federal student loans than Wake Forest graduates. ($214 vs. $237)
  • More Wake Forest graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former NC State students, three years after graduation. (88% vs. 76%)

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