UC Davis vs. UNCW

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

 UC Davis UNCW
Location Davis, CA Wilmington, NC
Setting Small Suburban Midsize City
Enrollment 39,679 17,843
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #92 #377
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ucdavis.edu uncw.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 UC Davis UNCW
Tuition (In State) $11,564 $4,443
Tuition (Out of State) $41,636 $19,063
Room & Board $17,692 $12,120
Avg Net Price $17,385 $18,709
Avg Grant Aid $20,548 $6,217
% Receiving Grant Aid 57% 56%

Admission

 UC Davis UNCW
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 94,747 16,860
Admitted 35,377 11,605
Acceptance Rate 37.3% 68.8%
Enrolled % 18.1% 20.4%
Avg High School GPA 4.0 3.56
Typical High School Grades A/A+ B+
Admissions Standards Very High Difficult
Applicant Competition High Low
ACT Range 25/33 24/29
SAT Range 1160/1400 1220/1370
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 Feb 1, 2024

Academics

 UC Davis UNCW
Student to Faculty Ratio 21:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Biology (19%)
  • Social Sciences (19%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Engineering (7%)
  • Foreign Languages (5%)
  • Business (22%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Biology (8%)

Outcomes

 UC Davis UNCW
Graduation Rate 82% 67%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $65,200 $44,700
Making Student Loan Payments 82% 64%
Median Student Loan Debt $14,676 $20,500
Median Loan Payment $151 $211

Diversity

 UC Davis UNCW
% Men 41% 34%
% Women 59% 66%
Racial Diversity Very High Low
HBCU No No
% White 28% 78%
% Black 2% 5%
% Hispanic 19% 7%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 3%
% International 11% 1%
% Unknown Race 1% 3%

Students

 UC Davis UNCW
% In-State 75% 80%
% Out-of-State 7% 19%

Campus

 UC Davis UNCW
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 Davis is larger than than UNCW based on total student enrollment (39,679 students vs. 17,843 students)

UC Davis vs. UNCW Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UC Davis or UNCW?

  • University of California Davis is 160.3% more expensive to attend than UNCW for in-state tuition ($11,564.00 vs. $4,443.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 118.4% higher at UC Davis than University of North Carolina at Wilmington ($41,636.00 vs. $19,063.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of California Davis than UNCW ($17,385 vs. $18,709)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of North Carolina at Wilmington are 46% lower than costs at University of California Davis ($12,120 vs. $17,692)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of California Davis than University of North Carolina at Wilmington (57% vs. 56%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Davis students is 230.5% larger than aid received University of North Carolina at Wilmington ($20,548 vs. $6,217)

UC Davis vs. UNCW Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of California Davis (1226) is 64 points higher than at UNCW (1162)
  • Incoming UC Davis students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (28) than students at UNCW (25)
  • Accepted freshman UC Davis students have a 0.44 point higher average high school GPA (4.0) than students at UNCW (3.56)
  • UNCW has a higher acceptance rate (68.8%) than UC Davis (37.3%)

UC Davis vs. UNCW Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UC Davis 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 UC Davis.

  • The graduation rate at UC Davis is higher than University of North Carolina at Wilmington (82% vs. 67%)
  • Graduates from University of California Davis earn on average $20,500 more per year than UNCW graduates after ten years. ($65,200 vs. $44,700)
  • University of California Davis students graduate with a $5,824 lower median federal student loan debt than UNCW graduates. ($14,676 vs. $20,500)
  • UC Davis graduates are paying $60 less per month on federal student loans than UNCW graduates. ($151 vs. $211)
  • More UC Davis graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UNCW students, three years after graduation. (82% vs. 64%)

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