Johns Hopkins University
BALTIMORE, MD
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
CHAPEL HILL, NC
COLLEGE COUNCIL · ATLAS · US UNIVERSITIES

Johns Hopkins vs North Carolina - US university comparison

Johns Hopkins University
JOHNS HOPKINS
Baltimore, MD
World rank · ARWU#17
Acceptance6.44%
Median SAT1540
Graduation rate93.8%
Median earnings · 10 yrs$88K
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
NORTH CAROLINA
Chapel Hill, NC
World rank · ARWU#35
Acceptance15.34%
Median SAT1470
Graduation rate91.2%
Median earnings · 10 yrs$72K
🔒 UNDERGRADUATE 🔒 GRADUATE

KEY DATA

Johns Hopkins University University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
#17 World rank · ARWU #35
#16 Rank · THE #70
6.44% Acceptance rate 15.34%
1540 Median SAT 1470
93.8% Graduation rate 91.2%
30,210 Enrollment 32,680

HEAD-TO-HEAD STATISTICS

6.44% Acceptance rate 15.34%
47% Yield rate 45.5%
1540 Median SAT 1470
3.93 Avg. GPA 4.49
45,895 Number of applications 66,535
15.2% Int'l students 6.4%
$88K Median earnings · 10 yrs $72K
$65K Bottom 25% earnings · 10 yrs $48K
$135K Top 25% earnings · 10 yrs $112K
93.8% Graduation rate 91.2%
98.1% Retention rate 96.6%
$10,250 Median debt $14,000
$67,170 Tuition · year $45,228
$67,159 Avg. aid package $20,705
99.5% % of need met 100%
$30,803 Avg. graduate debt $20,382
$70 Application fee $85
$16,051 Avg. int'l aid -
At a glance
Johns Hopkins leads in 8 of 12 measured metrics
Aid$67,159 vs $20,705
Acceptance6.44% vs 15.34%
Grad. debt$30,803 vs $20,382

The verdict, from the data

The lower acceptance rate belongs to Johns Hopkins: 6.4% against 15.3% (North Carolina).

The larger international cohort belongs to Johns Hopkins: 15.2% of students against 6.4% (North Carolina).

If you are applying from outside the US, budget without institutional support where there is none: only Johns Hopkins reports aid for international students ($16,051 on average), North Carolina does not.

The order of prices reverses once aid is counted: Johns Hopkins starts at $89,539 against $60,888 and ends at $22,380 against $40,183 (North Carolina).

These numbers describe the cohorts already enrolled, not your chances; treat them as a starting point rather than a forecast.

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

Johns Hopkins is the more selective of the two (6.44% vs 15.34% acceptance). Johns Hopkins ranks higher in the ARWU world research ranking (#17 vs #35). Johns Hopkins graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($88K vs $72K). North Carolina has lower sticker-price tuition ($45,228 vs $67,170 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 Johns Hopkins for: a higher world ranking, higher selectivity, higher graduate earnings.

Choose North Carolina for: lower tuition, lower graduate debt.

College Council Atlas analysis · IPEDS / College Scorecard CDS 2024-25, ARWU 2024.

BY THE NUMBERS

Admissions

Johns Hopkins is more selective (6.44% vs 15.34% acceptance); Johns Hopkins has a higher median SAT (1540 vs 1470).

Graduate outcomes

Johns Hopkins graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($88K vs $72K); Johns Hopkins has a higher 6-year graduation rate (93.8% vs 91.2%).

Cost and aid

North Carolina has lower sticker-price tuition ($45,228 vs $67,170); Johns Hopkins offers a larger average aid package ($67,159 vs $20,705).

VALUE LANDSCAPE

$35k$76k$117k$158k$11k$35k$59k$83kJohns HopkinsNorth Carolina TUITION · YEAR → MEDIAN EARNINGS · 10 YRS →
Each dot is a comparable US university; Johns Hopkins and North Carolina highlighted. Up and to the left = better value ratio.

FULL DATA TABLE

Metric Johns Hopkins North Carolina
World rank · ARWU#17#35
Rank · THE#16#70
Acceptance rate6.44%15.34%
Yield rate47%45.5%
Median SAT15401470
Avg. GPA3.934.49
Number of applications45,89566,535
International students15.2%6.4%
Median earnings · 10 yrs$88K$72K
Bottom 25% earnings · 10 yrs$65K$48K
Top 25% earnings · 10 yrs$135K$112K
Graduation rate93.8%91.2%
Retention rate98.1%96.6%
Median debt$10,250$14,000
Tuition · year$67,170$45,228
Avg. aid package$67,159$20,705
% of need met99.5%100%
Avg. graduate debt$30,803$20,382
Application fee$70$85
Enrollment30,21032,680

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Is it harder to get into Johns Hopkins or North Carolina?

It's harder to get into Johns Hopkins. Johns Hopkins accepts 6.44% of applicants, while North Carolina accepts 15.34%.

Do Johns Hopkins or North Carolina graduates earn more?

Johns Hopkins graduates earn more: the median 10 years after enrollment is $88K vs $72K.

How much is tuition at Johns Hopkins vs North Carolina?

Sticker-price tuition is $67,170 per year at Johns Hopkins and $45,228 per year at North Carolina.

What SAT score do you need for Johns Hopkins or North Carolina?

The median admitted SAT score is 1540 at Johns Hopkins and 1470 at North Carolina; aim for these values or higher to be competitive.

Which university ranks higher - Johns Hopkins or North Carolina?

Johns Hopkins ranks higher in the ARWU world ranking: #17 for Johns Hopkins vs #35 for North Carolina.

Which university offers more financial aid - Johns Hopkins or North Carolina?

The average aid package is $67,159 at Johns Hopkins and $20,705 at North Carolina.

Compare Johns Hopkins with
Harvard Stanford Massachusetts Institute of Technology Princeton Yale Cornell Penn Washington University Northwestern Duke
Highest-ranked in ARWU. Click "↻ Change university" in the cards above to choose from all 47 universities (+35).
All metrics come 100% from College Council Atlas (canonical) - admissions, SAT, GPA, graduate outcomes, financial aid and costs from IPEDS / College Scorecard CDS 2024-25; rankings from ARWU 2024 and THE 2025. Zero manual fields. "-" = not yet in canonical.