UD vs. UNC Chapel Hill

Deciding between University of Delaware 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.

University of Delaware
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

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

  • Overview

  • Location
  • UD Newark, DE
  • UNC Chapel Hill Chapel Hill, NC
  • Setting
  • UD Large Suburban
  • UNC Chapel Hill Small City
  • Total enrollment
  • UD 24,412
  • UNC Chapel Hill 32,438
  • Type
  • UD Public 4 Year
  • UNC Chapel Hill Public 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • UD #150
  • UNC Chapel Hill #59
  • Religious Affiliation
  • UD -
  • UNC Chapel Hill -
  • Status
  • UD Non-profit
  • UNC Chapel Hill Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • UD
  • UNC Chapel Hill

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • UD $16,810
  • UNC Chapel Hill $8,994
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • UD $41,400
  • UNC Chapel Hill $41,203
  • Room & Board
  • UD $15,386
  • UNC Chapel Hill $13,804
  • Average Net Price
  • UD $19,139
  • UNC Chapel Hill $10,154
  • Average Grant Aid
  • UD $13,302
  • UNC Chapel Hill $17,814
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • UD 91%
  • UNC Chapel Hill 38%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • UD 39,995
  • UNC Chapel Hill 66,535
  • Admitted
  • UD 28,238
  • UNC Chapel Hill 10,209
  • Acceptance Rate
  • UD 70.6%
  • UNC Chapel Hill 15.3%
  • Enrolled
  • UD 15.7%
  • UNC Chapel Hill 45.5%
  • Typical SAT score
  • UD 1280
  • UNC Chapel Hill 1460
  • Typical ACT score
  • UD 30
  • UNC Chapel Hill 31
  • Average High School GPA
  • UD 3.94
  • UNC Chapel Hill 3.83
  • Typical High School Grades
  • UD A
  • UNC Chapel Hill A-
  • Admissions Standards
  • UD Very High
  • UNC Chapel Hill Exceptional
  • Applicant Competition
  • UD Low
  • UNC Chapel Hill Very High
  • ACT Range
  • UD 28/32
  • UNC Chapel Hill 28/34
  • SAT Range
  • UD 1190/1370
  • UNC Chapel Hill 1390/1530
  • Submit Test Scores
  • UD Test optional
  • UNC Chapel Hill Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • UD Jan 15, 2027
  • UNC Chapel Hill Jan 15, 2027

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • UD 16:1
  • UNC Chapel Hill 15:1
  • Popular Majors
  • UD
    • Business (20%)
    • Social Sciences (12%)
    • Education (8%)
    • Engineering (7%)
    • Health Professions (7%)
  • UNC Chapel Hill
    • Social Sciences (17%)
    • Communication (11%)
    • Biology (8%)
    • Business (8%)
    • Psychology (8%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • UD 78%
  • UNC Chapel Hill 89%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • UD $61,300
  • UNC Chapel Hill $66,100
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • UD 80%
  • UNC Chapel Hill 82%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • UD $24,203
  • UNC Chapel Hill $16,479
  • Median Loan Payment
  • UD $250
  • UNC Chapel Hill $170

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • UD 41%
  • UNC Chapel Hill 40%
  • % Women
  • UD 59%
  • UNC Chapel Hill 60%
  • Racial Diversity
  • UD Low
  • UNC Chapel Hill Medium
  • HBCU
  • UD No
  • UNC Chapel Hill No
  • % White
  • UD 74%
  • UNC Chapel Hill 64%
  • % Asian
  • UD 5%
  • UNC Chapel Hill 10%
  • % Black
  • UD 6%
  • UNC Chapel Hill 8%
  • % Hispanic
  • UD 8%
  • UNC Chapel Hill 8%
  • % Native American
  • UD 0%
  • UNC Chapel Hill 1%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • UD 0%
  • UNC Chapel Hill 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • UD 3%
  • UNC Chapel Hill 4%
  • % International
  • UD 4%
  • UNC Chapel Hill 2%
  • % Unknown Race
  • UD 1%
  • UNC Chapel Hill 3%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • UD 39%
  • UNC Chapel Hill 84%
  • % Out-of-State
  • UD 59%
  • UNC Chapel Hill 11%

  • Campus

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

Comparable Facts

Compare University of Delaware in Newark, DE 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.

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is larger than UD based on total student enrollment (32,438 students vs. 24,412 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • University of Delaware is located in Newark, DE (Large Suburban setting); University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is in Chapel Hill, NC (Small City setting).
  • University of Delaware 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: University of Delaware 16:1; University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill 15:1.

UD vs. UNC Chapel Hill Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UD 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 UD ($10,154 vs. $19,139).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill are 10.3% lower than at University of Delaware ($13,804 vs. $15,386).
  • University of Delaware is 86.9% more expensive for in-state tuition than UNC Chapel Hill (about $7,816 more per year; $16,810.00 vs. $8,994.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 0.5% higher at UD than at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (about $197 more per year; $41,400.00 vs. $41,203.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at University of Delaware than at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (91% vs. 38%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill students is 33.9% larger than aid received by University of Delaware students ($17,814 vs. $13,302).

UD vs. UNC Chapel Hill Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, UD 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 UD.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (1460) is 180 points higher than at UD (1280).
  • Incoming UNC Chapel Hill students have a 1 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (31 vs. 30 at UD).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: University of Delaware 1190/1370; University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill 1390/1530.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: University of Delaware 28/32; University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill 28/34.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: UD - Test optional; UNC Chapel Hill - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: UD Jan 15, 2027; UNC Chapel Hill Jan 15, 2027.
  • Accepted freshman UD students have a 0.11 point higher average high school GPA (3.94) than students at UNC Chapel Hill (3.83).
  • UD has a higher acceptance rate (70.6%) than UNC Chapel Hill (15.3%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 15.7% at UD vs. 45.5% at UNC Chapel Hill.

UD vs. UNC Chapel Hill Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for UD 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 University of Delaware's (78%).
  • Graduates from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill earn a median of about $4,800 more per year than UD graduates about ten years after starting college ($66,100 vs. $61,300), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill graduates have a $7,724 lower median loan debt than UD graduates ($16,479 vs. $24,203).
  • Among borrowers, UNC Chapel Hill graduates have an estimated $80 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than UD graduates ($170 vs. $250).
  • More UNC Chapel Hill graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UD students, three years after graduation. (82% vs. 80%)

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.