Temple vs North Carolina - US university comparison
KEY DATA
HEAD-TO-HEAD STATISTICS
The verdict, from the data
These are two different admissions games: North Carolina admits 15.3% of applications, Temple admits 80.5%.
If you are applying from outside the US, budget without institutional support where there is none: only Temple reports aid for international students ($16,607 on average), North Carolina does not.
The tuition gap is $5,084 a year: $40,144 (Temple) against $45,228.
Ten years on, graduates of North Carolina earn noticeably more: $72K against $64K.
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
North Carolina is the more selective of the two (15.34% vs 80.45% acceptance). North Carolina ranks higher in the ARWU world research ranking (#401-500 vs #35). North Carolina graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($72K vs $64K). Temple has lower sticker-price tuition ($40,144 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 Temple for: lower tuition.
Choose North Carolina 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
North Carolina is more selective (15.34% vs 80.45% acceptance); North Carolina has a higher median SAT (1470 vs 1250).
North Carolina graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($72K vs $64K); North Carolina has a higher 6-year graduation rate (91.2% vs 75%).
Temple has lower sticker-price tuition ($40,144 vs $45,228); North Carolina offers a larger average aid package ($20,705 vs $17,833).
VALUE LANDSCAPE
FULL DATA TABLE
| Metric | Temple | North Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| World rank · ARWU | #401-500 | #35 |
| Rank · THE | - | #70 |
| Acceptance rate | 80.45% | 15.34% |
| Yield rate | 15% | 45.5% |
| Median SAT | 1250 | 1470 |
| Avg. GPA | 3.42 | 4.49 |
| Number of applications | 40,817 | 66,535 |
| International students | 4.4% | 6.4% |
| Median earnings · 10 yrs | $64K | $72K |
| Bottom 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $41K | $48K |
| Top 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $92K | $112K |
| Graduation rate | 75% | 91.2% |
| Retention rate | 83% | 96.6% |
| Median debt | $24,395 | $14,000 |
| Tuition · year | $40,144 | $45,228 |
| Avg. aid package | $17,833 | $20,705 |
| % of need met | 60.5% | 100% |
| Avg. graduate debt | $41,808 | $20,382 |
| Application fee | $55 | $85 |
| Enrollment | 29,637 | 32,680 |
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Is it harder to get into Temple or North Carolina?
It's harder to get into North Carolina. Temple accepts 80.45% of applicants, while North Carolina accepts 15.34%.
Do Temple or North Carolina graduates earn more?
North Carolina graduates earn more: the median 10 years after enrollment is $72K vs $64K.
How much is tuition at Temple vs North Carolina?
Sticker-price tuition is $40,144 per year at Temple and $45,228 per year at North Carolina.
What SAT score do you need for Temple or North Carolina?
The median admitted SAT score is 1250 at Temple and 1470 at North Carolina; aim for these values or higher to be competitive.
Which university ranks higher - Temple or North Carolina?
North Carolina ranks higher in the ARWU world ranking: #401-500 for Temple vs #35 for North Carolina.
Which university offers more financial aid - Temple or North Carolina?
The average aid package is $17,833 at Temple and $20,705 at North Carolina.
Harvard
Stanford
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Princeton
Yale
Cornell
Penn
Johns Hopkins
Washington University
Northwestern