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ASU UNC Chapel Hill NC State UNCG ECU Mason WCU UofSC Georgia State University of North Carolina at Asheville UD Virginia Tech| University of North Carolina at Wilmington | University of North Carolina at Charlotte | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
UNCW | UNC Charlotte | ||
| Location | Wilmington, NC | Charlotte, NC | ||
| Setting | Midsize City | Large City | ||
| Enrollment | 17,987 | 30,298 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #390 | #547 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | uncw.edu | uncc.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
UNCW | UNC Charlotte | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $4,443 | $3,812 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $20,111 | $18,474 | ||
| Room & Board | $12,605 | $13,864 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $18,606 | $13,768 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $6,516 | $8,150 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 54% | 58% |
Admission |
UNCW | UNC Charlotte | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Applied | 17,370 | 22,699 | ||
| Admitted | 12,856 | 18,208 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 74% | 80.2% | ||
| Enrolled % | 21% | 24.7% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.56 | 3.57 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Difficult | Challenging | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | |||
| ACT Range | 24/28 | 21/27 | ||
| SAT Range | 1220/1360 | 1110/1320 | ||
| 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, 2026 | Jun 1, 2026 |
Academics |
UNCW | UNC Charlotte | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 17:1 | 21:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
UNCW | UNC Charlotte | ||
| Graduation Rate | 67% | 53% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $44,700 | $48,600 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 64% | 61% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $20,500 | $23,000 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $211 | $237 |
Diversity |
UNCW | UNC Charlotte | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 5% | 8% | ||
| % Women | 14% | 13% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Low | High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 78% | 60% | ||
| % Black | 5% | 17% | ||
| % Hispanic | 7% | 9% | ||
| % Native American | 1% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 3% | 4% | ||
| % International | 1% | 2% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 3% | 3% |
Students |
UNCW | UNC Charlotte | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 77% | 90% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 22% | 8% | ||
Campus |
UNCW | UNC Charlotte | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | Yes | ||
| Daycare Facility | No | No | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- University of North Carolina at Charlotte is larger than than UNCW based on total student enrollment (30,298 students vs. 17,987 students)
UNCW vs. UNC Charlotte Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, UNCW or UNC Charlotte?
- University of North Carolina at Wilmington is 16.6% more expensive to attend than UNC Charlotte for in-state tuition ($4,443.00 vs. $3,812.00)
- Out of state tuition is 8.9% higher at UNCW than University of North Carolina at Charlotte ($20,111.00 vs. $18,474.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of North Carolina at Charlotte than UNCW ($13,768 vs. $18,606)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of North Carolina at Wilmington are 10% lower than costs at University of North Carolina at Charlotte ($12,605 vs. $13,864)
- More students receive financial grant aid at University of North Carolina at Charlotte than University of North Carolina at Wilmington (58% vs. 54%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by University of North Carolina at Charlotte students is 25.1% larger than aid received University of North Carolina at Wilmington ($8,150 vs. $6,516)
UNCW vs. UNC Charlotte Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, UNCW or UNC Charlotte? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between UNC Charlotte or UNCW .
- The average SAT score at University of North Carolina at Wilmington (1162) is 69 points higher than at UNC Charlotte (1093)
- Incoming UNCW students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at UNC Charlotte (24)
- Accepted freshman UNC Charlotte students have a 0.01 point higher average high school GPA (3.57) than students at UNCW (3.56)
- UNC Charlotte has a higher acceptance rate (80.2%) than UNCW (74%)
UNCW vs. UNC Charlotte Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, UNCW or UNC Charlotte? 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 UNC Charlotte and UNCW.
- The graduation rate at UNCW is higher than University of North Carolina at Charlotte (67% vs. 53%)
- Graduates from University of North Carolina at Charlotte earn on average $3,900 more per year than UNCW graduates after ten years. ($48,600 vs. $44,700)
- University of North Carolina at Wilmington students graduate with a $2,500 lower median federal student loan debt than UNC Charlotte graduates. ($20,500 vs. $23,000)
- UNCW graduates are paying $26 less per month on federal student loans than UNC Charlotte graduates. ($211 vs. $237)
- More UNCW graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UNC Charlotte students, three years after graduation. (64% vs. 61%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/