Rochester vs North Carolina - US university comparison
KEY DATA
HEAD-TO-HEAD STATISTICS
The verdict, from the data
A place is harder to win where the bar sits higher: North Carolina admits 15.3%, Rochester admits 40.1%.
The share of international students differs sharply: 22.1% (Rochester) against 6.4% (North Carolina).
If you are applying from outside the US, budget without institutional support where there is none: only Rochester reports aid for international students ($41,269 on average), North Carolina does not.
The order of prices reverses once aid is counted: Rochester starts at $93,614 against $60,888 and ends at $32,735 against $40,183 (North Carolina).
None of these figures decides on its own; what decides is which course you want to be on, and on what budget.
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 40.08% acceptance). North Carolina ranks higher in the ARWU world research ranking (#151-200 vs #35). Rochester graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($79K vs $72K). North Carolina has lower sticker-price tuition ($45,228 vs $70,284 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 Rochester for: higher graduate earnings, a larger aid package.
Choose North Carolina for: a higher world ranking, higher selectivity, a higher graduation rate.
College Council Atlas analysis · IPEDS / College Scorecard CDS 2024-25, ARWU 2024.
BY THE NUMBERS
North Carolina is more selective (15.34% vs 40.08% acceptance).
Rochester graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($79K vs $72K); North Carolina has a higher 6-year graduation rate (91.2% vs 85.4%).
North Carolina has lower sticker-price tuition ($45,228 vs $70,284); Rochester offers a larger average aid package ($60,879 vs $20,705).
VALUE LANDSCAPE
FULL DATA TABLE
| Metric | Rochester | North Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| World rank · ARWU | #151-200 | #35 |
| Rank · THE | #127 | #70 |
| Acceptance rate | 40.08% | 15.34% |
| Yield rate | 15.4% | 45.5% |
| Median SAT | 1470 | 1470 |
| Avg. GPA | 3.72 | 4.49 |
| Number of applications | 21,384 | 66,535 |
| International students | 22.1% | 6.4% |
| Median earnings · 10 yrs | $79K | $72K |
| Bottom 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $50K | $48K |
| Top 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $117K | $112K |
| Graduation rate | 85.4% | 91.2% |
| Retention rate | 90.7% | 96.6% |
| Median debt | $21,000 | $14,000 |
| Tuition · year | $70,284 | $45,228 |
| Avg. aid package | $60,879 | $20,705 |
| % of need met | 96.1% | 100% |
| Avg. graduate debt | $32,304 | $20,382 |
| Application fee | $50 | $85 |
| Enrollment | 11,946 | 32,680 |
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Is it harder to get into Rochester or North Carolina?
It's harder to get into North Carolina. Rochester accepts 40.08% of applicants, while North Carolina accepts 15.34%.
Do Rochester or North Carolina graduates earn more?
Rochester graduates earn more: the median 10 years after enrollment is $79K vs $72K.
How much is tuition at Rochester vs North Carolina?
Sticker-price tuition is $70,284 per year at Rochester and $45,228 per year at North Carolina.
What SAT score do you need for Rochester or North Carolina?
The median admitted SAT score is 1470 at Rochester and 1470 at North Carolina; aim for these values or higher to be competitive.
Which university ranks higher - Rochester or North Carolina?
North Carolina ranks higher in the ARWU world ranking: #151-200 for Rochester vs #35 for North Carolina.
Which university offers more financial aid - Rochester or North Carolina?
The average aid package is $60,879 at Rochester and $20,705 at North Carolina.
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