University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
CHAPEL HILL, NC
University of Connecticut
STORRS, CT
COLLEGE COUNCIL · ATLAS · US UNIVERSITIES

North Carolina vs Connecticut - US university comparison

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
University of Connecticut
CONNECTICUT
Storrs, CT
World rank · ARWU#301-400
Acceptance52.39%
Median SAT1340
Graduation rate83.3%
Median earnings · 10 yrs$74K
🔒 UNDERGRADUATE 🔒 GRADUATE

KEY DATA

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill University of Connecticut
#35 World rank · ARWU #301-400
#70 Rank · THE -
15.34% Acceptance rate 52.39%
1470 Median SAT 1340
91.2% Graduation rate 83.3%
32,680 Enrollment 28,306

HEAD-TO-HEAD STATISTICS

15.34% Acceptance rate 52.39%
45.5% Yield rate 15.4%
1470 Median SAT 1340
4.49 Avg. GPA -
66,535 Number of applications 55,479
6.4% Int'l students 7.4%
$72K Median earnings · 10 yrs $74K
$48K Bottom 25% earnings · 10 yrs $50K
$112K Top 25% earnings · 10 yrs $109K
91.2% Graduation rate 83.3%
96.6% Retention rate 92%
$14,000 Median debt $21,500
$45,228 Tuition · year $44,004
$20,705 Avg. aid package $21,535
100% % of need met 61.6%
$20,382 Avg. graduate debt $28,506
$85 Application fee $80
- Avg. int'l aid $17,282
At a glance
North Carolina leads in 8 of 11 measured metrics
Acceptance15.34% vs 52.39%
Yield45.5% vs 15.4%
% of need100% vs 61.6%

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 (#35 vs #301-400). Median earnings 10 years after enrollment are effectively tied ($72K vs $74K). 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 North Carolina for: a higher world ranking, higher selectivity, a higher graduation rate.

Choose Connecticut for: higher graduate earnings, lower tuition, a larger aid package.

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

BY THE NUMBERS

Admissions

North Carolina is more selective (15.34% vs 52.39% acceptance); North Carolina has a higher median SAT (1470 vs 1340).

Graduate outcomes

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%).

Cost and aid

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

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

FULL DATA TABLE

Metric North Carolina Connecticut
World rank · ARWU#35#301-400
Rank · THE#70-
Acceptance rate15.34%52.39%
Yield rate45.5%15.4%
Median SAT14701340
Avg. GPA4.49-
Number of applications66,53555,479
International students6.4%7.4%
Median earnings · 10 yrs$72K$74K
Bottom 25% earnings · 10 yrs$48K$50K
Top 25% earnings · 10 yrs$112K$109K
Graduation rate91.2%83.3%
Retention rate96.6%92%
Median debt$14,000$21,500
Tuition · year$45,228$44,004
Avg. aid package$20,705$21,535
% of need met100%61.6%
Avg. graduate debt$20,382$28,506
Application fee$85$80
Enrollment32,68028,306

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Is it harder to get into North Carolina or Connecticut?

It's harder to get into North Carolina. North Carolina accepts 15.34% of applicants, while Connecticut accepts 52.39%.

Do North Carolina or Connecticut graduates earn more?

Earnings are practically equal - 10 years after enrollment, the median is $72K at North Carolina and $74K at Connecticut.

How much is tuition at North Carolina vs Connecticut?

Sticker-price tuition is $45,228 per year at North Carolina and $44,004 per year at Connecticut.

What SAT score do you need for North Carolina or Connecticut?

The median admitted SAT score is 1470 at North Carolina and 1340 at Connecticut; aim for these values or higher to be competitive.

Which university ranks higher - North Carolina or Connecticut?

North Carolina ranks higher in the ARWU world ranking: #35 for North Carolina vs #301-400 for Connecticut.

Which university offers more financial aid - North Carolina or Connecticut?

The average aid package is $20,705 at North Carolina and $21,535 at Connecticut.

Compare North Carolina with
Harvard Stanford Massachusetts Institute of Technology Princeton Yale Cornell Penn Johns Hopkins Washington University Northwestern
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.