UNCW vs. William & Mary

Should I go to University of North Carolina at Wilmington or College of William and Mary? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if UNCW or William & Mary 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. 

UVA ASU University of Richmond UNC Charlotte UNC Chapel Hill Washington and Lee ECU JMU Virginia Tech UNCG George Washington NC State
University of North Carolina at Wilmington vs. College of William and Mary comparison
University of North Carolina at Wilmington College of William and Mary College 3 College 4
University of North Carolina at Wilmington College of William and Mary
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

UNCW William & Mary
Location Wilmington, NC Williamsburg, VA
Setting Midsize City Large Suburban
Enrollment 17,843 9,654
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #377 #61
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uncw.edu wm.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

UNCW William & Mary
Tuition (In State) $4,443 $17,434
Tuition (Out of State) $19,063 $40,089
Room & Board $12,120 $13,828
Avg Net Price $18,709 $25,688
Avg Grant Aid $6,217 $15,134
% Receiving Grant Aid 56% 66%

Admission

UNCW William & Mary
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 16,860 18,087
Admitted 11,605 6,059
Acceptance Rate 68.8% 33.5%
Enrolled % 20.4% 27.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.56 3.85
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Difficult Exceptional
Applicant Competition Low High
ACT Range 24/29 32/34
SAT Range 1220/1370 1375/1520
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 Feb 1, 2024 Jan 2, 2024

Academics

UNCW William & Mary
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (22%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Social Sciences (24%)
  • Business (11%)
  • General Studies (10%)
  • English and Literature (8%)
  • History (7%)

Outcomes

UNCW William & Mary
Graduation Rate 67% 91%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $44,700 $68,700
Making Student Loan Payments 64% 85%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,500 $19,500
Median Loan Payment $211 $201

Diversity

UNCW William & Mary
% Men 34% 42%
% Women 66% 58%
Racial Diversity Low High
HBCU No No
% White 78% 59%
% Black 5% 7%
% Hispanic 7% 9%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 1% 6%
% Unknown Race 3% 6%

Students

UNCW William & Mary
% In-State 80% 58%
% Out-of-State 19% 36%

Campus

UNCW William & Mary
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • University of North Carolina at Wilmington is larger than than William & Mary based on total student enrollment (17,843 students vs. 9,654 students)

UNCW vs. William & Mary Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UNCW or William & Mary?

  • College of William and Mary is 292.4% more expensive to attend than UNCW for in-state tuition ($17,434.00 vs. $4,443.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 110.3% higher at William & Mary than University of North Carolina at Wilmington ($40,089.00 vs. $19,063.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of North Carolina at Wilmington than William & Mary ($18,709 vs. $25,688)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of North Carolina at Wilmington are 14.1% lower than costs at College of William and Mary ($12,120 vs. $13,828)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at College of William and Mary than University of North Carolina at Wilmington (66% vs. 56%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by College of William and Mary students is 143.4% larger than aid received University of North Carolina at Wilmington ($15,134 vs. $6,217)

UNCW vs. William & Mary Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at College of William and Mary (1353) is 191 points higher than at UNCW (1162)
  • Incoming William & Mary students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (30) than students at UNCW (25)
  • Accepted freshman William & Mary students have a 0.29 point higher average high school GPA (3.85) than students at UNCW (3.56)
  • UNCW has a higher acceptance rate (68.8%) than William & Mary (33.5%)

UNCW vs. William & Mary Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UNCW or William & Mary? 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 William & Mary and UNCW.

  • The graduation rate at William & Mary is higher than University of North Carolina at Wilmington (91% vs. 67%)
  • Graduates from College of William and Mary earn on average $24,000 more per year than UNCW graduates after ten years. ($68,700 vs. $44,700)
  • College of William and Mary students graduate with a $1,000 lower median federal student loan debt than UNCW graduates. ($19,500 vs. $20,500)
  • William & Mary graduates are paying $10 less per month on federal student loans than UNCW graduates. ($201 vs. $211)
  • More William & Mary graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UNCW students, three years after graduation. (85% vs. 64%)

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