UNC Chapel Hill vs. Wisconsin

Should I go to University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill or University of Wisconsin Madison? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if UNC Chapel Hill or Wisconsin 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.

Add a college to compare up to four schools

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

Minnesota NC State Michigan Illinois UVA UNC Charlotte Duke Ohio State UNCW UW-Seattle Purdue Maryland
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill vs. University of Wisconsin Madison comparison
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill University of Wisconsin Madison College 3 College 4
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill University of Wisconsin Madison
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

UNC Chapel Hill Wisconsin
Location Chapel Hill, NC Madison, WI
Setting Small City Midsize City
Enrollment 31,705 48,956
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #64 #105
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website unc.edu wisc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

UNC Chapel Hill Wisconsin
Tuition (In State) $7,019 $9,273
Tuition (Out of State) $35,580 $37,904
Room & Board $12,254 $12,894
Avg Net Price $10,614 $13,376
Avg Grant Aid $18,066 $11,171
% Receiving Grant Aid 40% 47%

Admission

UNC Chapel Hill Wisconsin
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 56,341 60,214
Admitted 9,639 29,539
Acceptance Rate 17.1% 49.1%
Enrolled % 46% 29.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.83 3.88
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Exceptional Exceptional
Applicant Competition Very High Low
ACT Range 30/34 26/32
SAT Range 1350/1530 1340/1510
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Jan 15, 2024 Jan 15, 2024

Academics

UNC Chapel Hill Wisconsin
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (17%)
  • Communication (11%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Business (8%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Social Sciences (15%)
  • Biology (12%)
  • Business (10%)
  • Engineering (8%)
  • Communication (6%)

Outcomes

UNC Chapel Hill Wisconsin
Graduation Rate 89% 82%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $66,100 $64,800
Making Student Loan Payments 82% 84%
Median Student Loan Debt $16,479 $22,250
Median Loan Payment $170 $230

Diversity

UNC Chapel Hill Wisconsin
% Men 40% 47%
% Women 60% 53%
Racial Diversity Medium Low
HBCU No No
% White 64% 76%
% Black 8% 2%
% Hispanic 8% 5%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 3%
% International 2% 8%
% Unknown Race 3% 0%

Students

UNC Chapel Hill Wisconsin
% In-State 83% 43%
% Out-of-State 12% 47%

Campus

UNC Chapel Hill Wisconsin
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes No
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • University of Wisconsin Madison is larger than than UNC Chapel Hill based on total student enrollment (48,956 students vs. 31,705 students)

UNC Chapel Hill vs. Wisconsin Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UNC Chapel Hill or Wisconsin?

  • University of Wisconsin Madison is 32.1% more expensive to attend than UNC Chapel Hill for in-state tuition ($9,273.00 vs. $7,019.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 6.5% higher at Wisconsin than University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill ($37,904.00 vs. $35,580.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill than Wisconsin ($10,614 vs. $13,376)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill are 5.2% lower than costs at University of Wisconsin Madison ($12,254 vs. $12,894)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Wisconsin Madison than University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (47% vs. 40%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill students is 61.7% larger than aid received University of Wisconsin Madison ($18,066 vs. $11,171)

UNC Chapel Hill vs. Wisconsin Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, UNC Chapel Hill or Wisconsin? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Wisconsin or UNC Chapel Hill .

  • The average SAT score at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (1343) is 43 points higher than at Wisconsin (1300)
  • Incoming UNC Chapel Hill students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (31) than students at Wisconsin (29)
  • Accepted freshman Wisconsin students have a 0.05 point higher average high school GPA (3.88) than students at UNC Chapel Hill (3.83)
  • Wisconsin has a higher acceptance rate (49.1%) than UNC Chapel Hill (17.1%)

UNC Chapel Hill vs. Wisconsin Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UNC Chapel Hill or Wisconsin? 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 Wisconsin and UNC Chapel Hill.

  • The graduation rate at UNC Chapel Hill is higher than University of Wisconsin Madison (89% vs. 82%)
  • Graduates from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill earn on average $1,300 more per year than Wisconsin graduates after ten years. ($66,100 vs. $64,800)
  • University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill students graduate with a $5,771 lower median federal student loan debt than Wisconsin graduates. ($16,479 vs. $22,250)
  • UNC Chapel Hill graduates are paying $60 less per month on federal student loans than Wisconsin graduates. ($170 vs. $230)
  • More Wisconsin graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UNC Chapel Hill students, three years after graduation. (84% vs. 82%)

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