UCSC vs. NC State

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

UCSC NC State
Location Santa Cruz, CA Raleigh, NC
Setting Small City Large City
Enrollment 19,478 36,700
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #222 #123
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ucsc.edu ncsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

UCSC NC State
Tuition (In State) $11,564 $6,535
Tuition (Out of State) $41,636 $28,276
Room & Board $18,185 $12,748
Avg Net Price $17,975 $14,852
Avg Grant Aid $21,202 $9,181
% Receiving Grant Aid 68% 71%

Admission

UCSC NC State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 65,912 35,568
Admitted 30,926 16,779
Acceptance Rate 46.9% 47.2%
Enrolled % 12.5% 33.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.63 3.83
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Very High Exceptional
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 25/33 28/33
SAT Range 1160/1360 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

UCSC NC State
Student to Faculty Ratio 23:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (17%)
  • Biology (14%)
  • Psychology (11%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • Business (9%)
  • Engineering (22%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • Agriculture (9%)
  • Social Sciences (5%)

Outcomes

UCSC NC State
Graduation Rate 73% 72%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $50,400 $57,200
Making Student Loan Payments 74% 76%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,959 $20,782
Median Loan Payment $206 $214

Diversity

UCSC NC State
% Men 50% 51%
% Women 50% 49%
Racial Diversity Very High Low
HBCU No No
% White 33% 74%
% Black 2% 6%
% Hispanic 31% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 7% 4%
% International 4% 4%
% Unknown Race 2% 2%

Students

UCSC NC State
% In-State 90% 83%
% Out-of-State 7% 14%

Campus

UCSC 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

  • North Carolina State University at Raleigh is larger than than UCSC based on total student enrollment (36,700 students vs. 19,478 students)

UCSC vs. NC State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UCSC or NC State?

  • University of California Santa Cruz 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 UCSC 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 UCSC ($14,852 vs. $17,975)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at North Carolina State University at Raleigh are 42.6% lower than costs at University of California Santa Cruz ($12,748 vs. $18,185)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at North Carolina State University at Raleigh than University of California Santa Cruz (71% vs. 68%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Santa Cruz students is 130.9% larger than aid received North Carolina State University at Raleigh ($21,202 vs. $9,181)

UCSC vs. NC State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at North Carolina State University at Raleigh (1264) is 63 points higher than at UCSC (1201)
  • Incoming NC State students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (29) than students at UCSC (28)
  • Accepted freshman NC State students have a 0.2 point higher average high school GPA (3.83) than students at UCSC (3.63)
  • NC State has a higher acceptance rate (47.2%) than UCSC (46.9%)

UCSC vs. NC State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UCSC 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 UCSC.

  • The graduation rate at UCSC is higher than North Carolina State University at Raleigh (73% vs. 72%)
  • Graduates from North Carolina State University at Raleigh earn on average $6,800 more per year than UCSC graduates after ten years. ($57,200 vs. $50,400)
  • University of California Santa Cruz students graduate with a $823 lower median federal student loan debt than NC State graduates. ($19,959 vs. $20,782)
  • UCSC graduates are paying $8 less per month on federal student loans than NC State graduates. ($206 vs. $214)
  • More NC State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UCSC students, three years after graduation. (76% vs. 74%)

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