Georgetown vs North Carolina - US university comparison
KEY DATA
HEAD-TO-HEAD STATISTICS
The verdict, from the data
The larger international cohort belongs to Georgetown: 14.4% of students against 6.4% (North Carolina).
If you are applying from outside the US, budget without institutional support where there is none: only Georgetown reports aid for international students ($75,050 on average), North Carolina does not.
The order of prices reverses once aid is counted: Georgetown starts at $97,736 against $60,888 and ends at $34,321 against $40,183 (North Carolina).
The gap in median earnings after a decade favours Georgetown: $103K against $72K.
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
Georgetown is the more selective of the two (13.5% vs 15.34% acceptance). North Carolina ranks higher in the ARWU world research ranking (#501-600 vs #35). Georgetown graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($103K vs $72K). North Carolina has lower sticker-price tuition ($45,228 vs $74,732 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 Georgetown for: higher selectivity, higher graduate earnings, a higher graduation rate.
Choose North Carolina for: a higher world ranking, higher retention, lower tuition.
College Council Atlas analysis · IPEDS / College Scorecard CDS 2024-25, ARWU 2024.
BY THE NUMBERS
Georgetown is more selective (13.5% vs 15.34% acceptance); Georgetown has a higher median SAT (1480 vs 1470).
Georgetown graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($103K vs $72K); Georgetown has a higher 6-year graduation rate (94.8% vs 91.2%).
North Carolina has lower sticker-price tuition ($45,228 vs $74,732); Georgetown offers a larger average aid package ($63,415 vs $20,705).
VALUE LANDSCAPE
FULL DATA TABLE
| Metric | Georgetown | North Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| World rank · ARWU | #501-600 | #35 |
| Rank · THE | - | #70 |
| Acceptance rate | 13.5% | 15.34% |
| Yield rate | 43.9% | 45.5% |
| Median SAT | 1480 | 1470 |
| Avg. GPA | - | 4.49 |
| Number of applications | 26,822 | 66,535 |
| International students | 14.4% | 6.4% |
| Median earnings · 10 yrs | $103K | $72K |
| Bottom 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $67K | $48K |
| Top 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $168K | $112K |
| Graduation rate | 94.8% | 91.2% |
| Retention rate | 96.3% | 96.6% |
| Median debt | $15,500 | $14,000 |
| Tuition · year | $74,732 | $45,228 |
| Avg. aid package | $63,415 | $20,705 |
| % of need met | 100% | 100% |
| Avg. graduate debt | $33,272 | $20,382 |
| Application fee | $75 | $85 |
| Enrollment | 19,905 | 32,680 |
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Is it harder to get into Georgetown or North Carolina?
It's harder to get into Georgetown. Georgetown accepts 13.5% of applicants, while North Carolina accepts 15.34%.
Do Georgetown or North Carolina graduates earn more?
Georgetown graduates earn more: the median 10 years after enrollment is $103K vs $72K.
How much is tuition at Georgetown vs North Carolina?
Sticker-price tuition is $74,732 per year at Georgetown and $45,228 per year at North Carolina.
What SAT score do you need for Georgetown or North Carolina?
The median admitted SAT score is 1480 at Georgetown and 1470 at North Carolina; aim for these values or higher to be competitive.
Which university ranks higher - Georgetown or North Carolina?
North Carolina ranks higher in the ARWU world ranking: #501-600 for Georgetown vs #35 for North Carolina.
Which university offers more financial aid - Georgetown or North Carolina?
The average aid package is $63,415 at Georgetown and $20,705 at North Carolina.
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