North Carolina vs Georgetown - 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 (#35 vs #501-600). 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 North Carolina for: a higher world ranking, higher retention, lower tuition.
Choose Georgetown for: higher selectivity, higher graduate earnings, a higher graduation rate.
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 | North Carolina | Georgetown |
|---|---|---|
| World rank · ARWU | #35 | #501-600 |
| Rank · THE | #70 | - |
| Acceptance rate | 15.34% | 13.5% |
| Yield rate | 45.5% | 43.9% |
| Median SAT | 1470 | 1480 |
| Avg. GPA | 4.49 | - |
| Number of applications | 66,535 | 26,822 |
| International students | 6.4% | 14.4% |
| Median earnings · 10 yrs | $72K | $103K |
| Bottom 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $48K | $67K |
| Top 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $112K | $168K |
| Graduation rate | 91.2% | 94.8% |
| Retention rate | 96.6% | 96.3% |
| Median debt | $14,000 | $15,500 |
| Tuition · year | $45,228 | $74,732 |
| Avg. aid package | $20,705 | $63,415 |
| % of need met | 100% | 100% |
| Avg. graduate debt | $20,382 | $33,272 |
| Application fee | $85 | $75 |
| Enrollment | 32,680 | 19,905 |
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Is it harder to get into North Carolina or Georgetown?
It's harder to get into Georgetown. North Carolina accepts 15.34% of applicants, while Georgetown accepts 13.5%.
Do North Carolina or Georgetown graduates earn more?
Georgetown graduates earn more: the median 10 years after enrollment is $103K vs $72K.
How much is tuition at North Carolina vs Georgetown?
Sticker-price tuition is $45,228 per year at North Carolina and $74,732 per year at Georgetown.
What SAT score do you need for North Carolina or Georgetown?
The median admitted SAT score is 1470 at North Carolina and 1480 at Georgetown; aim for these values or higher to be competitive.
Which university ranks higher - North Carolina or Georgetown?
North Carolina ranks higher in the ARWU world ranking: #35 for North Carolina vs #501-600 for Georgetown.
Which university offers more financial aid - North Carolina or Georgetown?
The average aid package is $20,705 at North Carolina and $63,415 at Georgetown.
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