Connecticut vs North Carolina - US university comparison
KEY DATA
HEAD-TO-HEAD STATISTICS
The verdict, from the data
These are two different admissions games: North Carolina admits 15.3% of applications, Connecticut admits 52.4%.
If you are applying from outside the US, budget without institutional support where there is none: only Connecticut reports aid for international students ($17,282 on average), North Carolina does not.
Candidates with higher SAT scores go to North Carolina: a midpoint of 1470 against 1340, a difference of 130 points.
The fight for an admitted student is won more often by North Carolina: 45.5% of them enrol, against 15.4%.
The indicators describe a university as a whole, and your own course can sit a long way from that average.
Every sentence above comes from a field we hold in canonical. Where the data is missing, or the gap is small enough to be noise, the sentence simply does not appear.
EXPERT TAKE
North Carolina is the more selective of the two (15.34% vs 52.39% acceptance). North Carolina ranks higher in the ARWU world research ranking (#301-400 vs #35). Median earnings 10 years after enrollment are effectively tied ($74K vs $72K). Connecticut has lower sticker-price tuition ($44,004 vs $45,228 per year).
Both universities have complete, comparable data in canonical - the choice should come down to fit (campus culture, major, aid package) alongside the differences visible in the numbers below.
Choose Connecticut for: higher graduate earnings, lower tuition, a larger aid package.
Choose North Carolina for: a higher world ranking, higher selectivity, a higher graduation rate.
College Council Atlas analysis · IPEDS / College Scorecard CDS 2024-25, ARWU 2024.
BY THE NUMBERS
North Carolina is more selective (15.34% vs 52.39% acceptance); North Carolina has a higher median SAT (1470 vs 1340).
Connecticut graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($74K vs $72K); North Carolina has a higher 6-year graduation rate (91.2% vs 83.3%).
Connecticut has lower sticker-price tuition ($44,004 vs $45,228); Connecticut offers a larger average aid package ($21,535 vs $20,705).
VALUE LANDSCAPE
FULL DATA TABLE
| Metric | Connecticut | North Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| World rank · ARWU | #301-400 | #35 |
| Rank · THE | - | #70 |
| Acceptance rate | 52.39% | 15.34% |
| Yield rate | 15.4% | 45.5% |
| Median SAT | 1340 | 1470 |
| Avg. GPA | - | 4.49 |
| Number of applications | 55,479 | 66,535 |
| International students | 7.4% | 6.4% |
| Median earnings · 10 yrs | $74K | $72K |
| Bottom 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $50K | $48K |
| Top 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $109K | $112K |
| Graduation rate | 83.3% | 91.2% |
| Retention rate | 92% | 96.6% |
| Median debt | $21,500 | $14,000 |
| Tuition · year | $44,004 | $45,228 |
| Avg. aid package | $21,535 | $20,705 |
| % of need met | 61.6% | 100% |
| Avg. graduate debt | $28,506 | $20,382 |
| Application fee | $80 | $85 |
| Enrollment | 28,306 | 32,680 |
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Is it harder to get into Connecticut or North Carolina?
It's harder to get into North Carolina. Connecticut accepts 52.39% of applicants, while North Carolina accepts 15.34%.
Do Connecticut or North Carolina graduates earn more?
Earnings are practically equal - 10 years after enrollment, the median is $74K at Connecticut and $72K at North Carolina.
How much is tuition at Connecticut vs North Carolina?
Sticker-price tuition is $44,004 per year at Connecticut and $45,228 per year at North Carolina.
What SAT score do you need for Connecticut or North Carolina?
The median admitted SAT score is 1340 at Connecticut and 1470 at North Carolina; aim for these values or higher to be competitive.
Which university ranks higher - Connecticut or North Carolina?
North Carolina ranks higher in the ARWU world ranking: #301-400 for Connecticut vs #35 for North Carolina.
Which university offers more financial aid - Connecticut or North Carolina?
The average aid package is $21,535 at Connecticut and $20,705 at North Carolina.
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