UC Berkeley vs. NC State

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

 UC Berkeley NC State
Location Berkeley, CA Raleigh, NC
Setting Midsize City Large City
Enrollment 45,307 36,700
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #63 #123
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website berkeley.edu ncsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 UC Berkeley NC State
Tuition (In State) $11,564 $6,535
Tuition (Out of State) $41,636 $28,276
Room & Board $21,402 $12,748
Avg Net Price $19,257 $14,852
Avg Grant Aid $21,669 $9,181
% Receiving Grant Aid 52% 71%

Admission

 UC Berkeley NC State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 128,209 35,568
Admitted 14,523 16,779
Acceptance Rate 11.3% 47.2%
Enrolled % 46.3% 33.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.87 3.83
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Exceptional
Applicant Competition Very High Low
ACT Range 30/35 28/33
SAT Range 1310/1530 1280/1460
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Nov 30, 2023 Jan 15, 2024

Academics

 UC Berkeley NC State
Student to Faculty Ratio 19:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (20%)
  • Biology (13%)
  • Engineering (10%)
  • English and Literature (5%)
  • Natural Resources Conservation (5%)
  • Engineering (22%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • Agriculture (9%)
  • Social Sciences (5%)

Outcomes

 UC Berkeley NC State
Graduation Rate 90% 72%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $74,700 $57,200
Making Student Loan Payments 79% 76%
Median Student Loan Debt $14,200 $20,782
Median Loan Payment $146 $214

Diversity

 UC Berkeley NC State
% Men 46% 51%
% Women 54% 49%
Racial Diversity Very High Low
HBCU No No
% White 27% 74%
% Black 2% 6%
% Hispanic 14% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 4%
% International 14% 4%
% Unknown Race 3% 2%

Students

 UC Berkeley NC State
% In-State 78% 83%
% Out-of-State 11% 14%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of California Berkeley is larger than than NC State based on total student enrollment (45,307 students vs. 36,700 students)

UC Berkeley vs. NC State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UC Berkeley or NC State?

  • University of California Berkeley is 77% more expensive to attend than NC State for in-state tuition ($11,564.00 vs. $6,535.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 47.2% higher at UC Berkeley than North Carolina State University at Raleigh ($41,636.00 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 UC Berkeley ($14,852 vs. $19,257)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at North Carolina State University at Raleigh are 67.9% lower than costs at University of California Berkeley ($12,748 vs. $21,402)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at North Carolina State University at Raleigh than University of California Berkeley (71% vs. 52%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Berkeley students is 136% larger than aid received North Carolina State University at Raleigh ($21,669 vs. $9,181)

UC Berkeley vs. NC State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of California Berkeley (1397) is 133 points higher than at NC State (1264)
  • Incoming UC Berkeley students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (32) than students at NC State (29)
  • Accepted freshman UC Berkeley students have a 0.04 point higher average high school GPA (3.87) than students at NC State (3.83)
  • NC State has a higher acceptance rate (47.2%) than UC Berkeley (11.3%)

UC Berkeley vs. NC State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UC Berkeley 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 UC Berkeley.

  • The graduation rate at UC Berkeley is higher than North Carolina State University at Raleigh (90% vs. 72%)
  • Graduates from University of California Berkeley earn on average $17,500 more per year than NC State graduates after ten years. ($74,700 vs. $57,200)
  • University of California Berkeley students graduate with a $6,582 lower median federal student loan debt than NC State graduates. ($14,200 vs. $20,782)
  • UC Berkeley graduates are paying $68 less per month on federal student loans than NC State graduates. ($146 vs. $214)
  • More UC Berkeley graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former NC State students, three years after graduation. (79% vs. 76%)

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