North Carolina vs Yale - US university comparison
KEY DATA
HEAD-TO-HEAD STATISTICS
The verdict, from the data
The lower acceptance rate belongs to Yale: 4.7% against 15.3% (North Carolina).
If you are applying from outside the US, budget without institutional support where there is none: only Yale reports aid for international students ($84,185 on average), North Carolina does not.
The order of prices reverses once aid is counted: Yale starts at $98,900 against $60,888 and ends at $24,547 against $40,183 (North Carolina).
The higher median salary ten years after enrolment belongs to Yale: $101K 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
Yale is the more selective of the two (4.7% vs 15.34% acceptance). Yale ranks higher in the ARWU world research ranking (#35 vs #11). Yale graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($101K vs $72K). North Carolina has lower sticker-price tuition ($45,228 vs $72,500 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: lower tuition, lower graduate debt.
Choose Yale for: a higher world ranking, higher selectivity, higher graduate earnings.
College Council Atlas analysis · IPEDS / College Scorecard CDS 2024-25, ARWU 2024.
BY THE NUMBERS
Yale is more selective (4.7% vs 15.34% acceptance); Yale has a higher median SAT (1540 vs 1470).
Yale graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($101K vs $72K); Yale has a higher 6-year graduation rate (95.7% vs 91.2%).
North Carolina has lower sticker-price tuition ($45,228 vs $72,500); Yale offers a larger average aid package ($74,353 vs $20,705).
VALUE LANDSCAPE
FULL DATA TABLE
| Metric | North Carolina | Yale |
|---|---|---|
| World rank · ARWU | #35 | #11 |
| Rank · THE | #70 | #10 |
| Acceptance rate | 15.34% | 4.7% |
| Yield rate | 45.5% | 68.4% |
| Median SAT | 1470 | 1540 |
| Avg. GPA | 4.49 | - |
| Number of applications | 66,535 | 50,264 |
| International students | 6.4% | 10.6% |
| Median earnings · 10 yrs | $72K | $101K |
| Bottom 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $48K | $66K |
| Top 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $112K | $194K |
| Graduation rate | 91.2% | 95.7% |
| Retention rate | 96.6% | 99.4% |
| Median debt | $14,000 | $12,975 |
| Tuition · year | $45,228 | $72,500 |
| Avg. aid package | $20,705 | $74,353 |
| % of need met | 100% | 100% |
| Avg. graduate debt | $20,382 | $22,185 |
| Application fee | $85 | $80 |
| Enrollment | 32,680 | 15,657 |
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Is it harder to get into North Carolina or Yale?
It's harder to get into Yale. North Carolina accepts 15.34% of applicants, while Yale accepts 4.7%.
Do North Carolina or Yale graduates earn more?
Yale graduates earn more: the median 10 years after enrollment is $101K vs $72K.
How much is tuition at North Carolina vs Yale?
Sticker-price tuition is $45,228 per year at North Carolina and $72,500 per year at Yale.
What SAT score do you need for North Carolina or Yale?
The median admitted SAT score is 1470 at North Carolina and 1540 at Yale; aim for these values or higher to be competitive.
Which university ranks higher - North Carolina or Yale?
Yale ranks higher in the ARWU world ranking: #35 for North Carolina vs #11 for Yale.
Which university offers more financial aid - North Carolina or Yale?
The average aid package is $20,705 at North Carolina and $74,353 at Yale.
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