Rutgers vs. UNC Chapel Hill

Deciding between Rutgers University New Brunswick and University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill? The table below shows tuition, aid, admissions, and outcomes side by side. Data comes from public sources across more than 3,000 U.S. colleges and universities. No account is required.

Rutgers University New Brunswick
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

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

  • Overview

  • Location
  • Rutgers New Brunswick, NJ
  • UNC Chapel Hill Chapel Hill, NC
  • Setting
  • Rutgers Small City
  • UNC Chapel Hill Small City
  • Total enrollment
  • Rutgers 52,269
  • UNC Chapel Hill 32,438
  • Type
  • Rutgers Public 4 Year
  • UNC Chapel Hill Public 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Rutgers #114
  • UNC Chapel Hill #59
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Rutgers -
  • UNC Chapel Hill -
  • Status
  • Rutgers Non-profit
  • UNC Chapel Hill Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Rutgers
  • UNC Chapel Hill

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Rutgers $17,929
  • UNC Chapel Hill $8,994
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Rutgers $37,441
  • UNC Chapel Hill $41,203
  • Room & Board
  • Rutgers $15,714
  • UNC Chapel Hill $13,804
  • Average Net Price
  • Rutgers $20,522
  • UNC Chapel Hill $10,154
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Rutgers $16,742
  • UNC Chapel Hill $17,814
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Rutgers 50%
  • UNC Chapel Hill 38%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Rutgers 68,614
  • UNC Chapel Hill 66,535
  • Admitted
  • Rutgers 39,899
  • UNC Chapel Hill 10,209
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Rutgers 58.1%
  • UNC Chapel Hill 15.3%
  • Enrolled
  • Rutgers 20.5%
  • UNC Chapel Hill 45.5%
  • Typical SAT score
  • Rutgers 1410
  • UNC Chapel Hill 1460
  • Typical ACT score
  • Rutgers 30
  • UNC Chapel Hill 31
  • Average High School GPA
  • Rutgers 3.3
  • UNC Chapel Hill 3.83
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Rutgers B+
  • UNC Chapel Hill A-
  • Admissions Standards
  • Rutgers Exceptional
  • UNC Chapel Hill Exceptional
  • Applicant Competition
  • Rutgers Low
  • UNC Chapel Hill Very High
  • ACT Range
  • Rutgers 28/33
  • UNC Chapel Hill 28/34
  • SAT Range
  • Rutgers 1310/1500
  • UNC Chapel Hill 1390/1530
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Rutgers Test optional
  • UNC Chapel Hill Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • Rutgers
  • UNC Chapel Hill Jan 15, 2027

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Rutgers 16:1
  • UNC Chapel Hill 15:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Rutgers
    • Social Sciences (16%)
    • Communication (10%)
    • Psychology (10%)
    • Biology (10%)
    • Engineering (8%)
  • UNC Chapel Hill
    • Social Sciences (17%)
    • Communication (11%)
    • Biology (8%)
    • Business (8%)
    • Psychology (8%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • Rutgers 77%
  • UNC Chapel Hill 89%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • Rutgers $66,200
  • UNC Chapel Hill $66,100
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • Rutgers 68%
  • UNC Chapel Hill 82%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • Rutgers $22,215
  • UNC Chapel Hill $16,479
  • Median Loan Payment
  • Rutgers $229
  • UNC Chapel Hill $170

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Rutgers 46%
  • UNC Chapel Hill 40%
  • % Women
  • Rutgers 54%
  • UNC Chapel Hill 60%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Rutgers Very High
  • UNC Chapel Hill Medium
  • HBCU
  • Rutgers No
  • UNC Chapel Hill No
  • % White
  • Rutgers 42%
  • UNC Chapel Hill 64%
  • % Asian
  • Rutgers 26%
  • UNC Chapel Hill 10%
  • % Black
  • Rutgers 7%
  • UNC Chapel Hill 8%
  • % Hispanic
  • Rutgers 13%
  • UNC Chapel Hill 8%
  • % Native American
  • Rutgers 0%
  • UNC Chapel Hill 1%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Rutgers 0%
  • UNC Chapel Hill 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Rutgers 3%
  • UNC Chapel Hill 4%
  • % International
  • Rutgers 7%
  • UNC Chapel Hill 2%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Rutgers 2%
  • UNC Chapel Hill 3%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Rutgers 75%
  • UNC Chapel Hill 84%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Rutgers 13%
  • UNC Chapel Hill 11%

  • Campus

  • Campus Housing
  • Rutgers Yes
  • UNC Chapel Hill Yes
  • Freshman Dorm Required
  • Rutgers No
  • UNC Chapel Hill No
  • Meal Plan
  • Rutgers Yes
  • UNC Chapel Hill Yes
  • Weekend/Evening Classes
  • Rutgers Yes
  • UNC Chapel Hill Yes
  • Daycare Facility
  • Rutgers Yes
  • UNC Chapel Hill No

Comparable Facts

Compare Rutgers University New Brunswick in New Brunswick, NJ with University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in Chapel Hill, NC on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Rutgers University New Brunswick is larger than UNC Chapel Hill based on total student enrollment (52,269 students vs. 32,438 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Rutgers University New Brunswick is located in New Brunswick, NJ (Small City setting); University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is in Chapel Hill, NC (Small City setting).
  • Rutgers University New Brunswick is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Rutgers University New Brunswick 16:1; University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill 15:1.

Rutgers vs. UNC Chapel Hill Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Rutgers or UNC Chapel Hill? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill than Rutgers ($10,154 vs. $20,522).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill are 12.2% lower than at Rutgers University New Brunswick ($13,804 vs. $15,714).
  • Rutgers University New Brunswick is 99.3% more expensive for in-state tuition than UNC Chapel Hill (about $8,935 more per year; $17,929.00 vs. $8,994.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 10% higher at UNC Chapel Hill than at Rutgers University New Brunswick (about $3,762 more per year; $41,203.00 vs. $37,441.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Rutgers University New Brunswick than at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (50% vs. 38%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill students is 6.4% larger than aid received by Rutgers University New Brunswick students ($17,814 vs. $16,742).

Rutgers vs. UNC Chapel Hill Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Rutgers or UNC Chapel Hill? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between UNC Chapel Hill and Rutgers.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (1460) is 50 points higher than at Rutgers (1410).
  • Incoming UNC Chapel Hill students have a 1 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (31 vs. 30 at Rutgers).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Rutgers University New Brunswick 1310/1500; University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill 1390/1530.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: Rutgers University New Brunswick 28/33; University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill 28/34.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Rutgers - Test optional; UNC Chapel Hill - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: UNC Chapel Hill Jan 15, 2027.
  • Accepted freshman UNC Chapel Hill 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 (58.1%) than UNC Chapel Hill (15.3%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 20.5% at Rutgers vs. 45.5% at UNC Chapel Hill.

Rutgers vs. UNC Chapel Hill Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Rutgers and UNC Chapel Hill? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

  • University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's six-year graduation rate (89%) is higher than Rutgers University New Brunswick's (77%).
  • Graduates from Rutgers University New Brunswick earn a median of about $100 more per year than UNC Chapel Hill graduates about ten years after starting college ($66,200 vs. $66,100), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill graduates have a $5,736 lower median loan debt than Rutgers graduates ($16,479 vs. $22,215).
  • Among borrowers, UNC Chapel Hill graduates have an estimated $59 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Rutgers graduates ($170 vs. $229).
  • More UNC Chapel Hill graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Rutgers students, three years after graduation. (82% vs. 68%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.