West Virginia 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, West Virginia admits 89%.
If you are applying from outside the US, budget without institutional support where there is none: only West Virginia reports aid for international students ($21,636 on average), North Carolina does not.
The tuition gap is $16,620 a year: $28,608 (West Virginia) against $45,228.
The gap in median earnings after a decade favours North Carolina: $72K against $56K.
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 89% acceptance). North Carolina ranks higher in the ARWU world research ranking (#501-600 vs #35). North Carolina graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($72K vs $56K). West Virginia has lower sticker-price tuition ($28,608 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 West Virginia 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 89% acceptance); North Carolina has a higher median SAT (1470 vs 1110).
North Carolina graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($72K vs $56K); North Carolina has a higher 6-year graduation rate (91.2% vs 64.7%).
West Virginia has lower sticker-price tuition ($28,608 vs $45,228); North Carolina offers a larger average aid package ($20,705 vs $16,730).
VALUE LANDSCAPE
FULL DATA TABLE
| Metric | West Virginia | North Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| World rank · ARWU | #501-600 | #35 |
| Rank · THE | - | #70 |
| Acceptance rate | 89% | 15.34% |
| Yield rate | 26.5% | 45.5% |
| Median SAT | 1110 | 1470 |
| Avg. GPA | 3.70 | 4.49 |
| Number of applications | 20,150 | 66,535 |
| International students | 1.7% | 6.4% |
| Median earnings · 10 yrs | $56K | $72K |
| Bottom 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $36K | $48K |
| Top 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $84K | $112K |
| Graduation rate | 64.7% | 91.2% |
| Retention rate | 83.4% | 96.6% |
| Median debt | $22,500 | $14,000 |
| Tuition · year | $28,608 | $45,228 |
| Avg. aid package | $16,730 | $20,705 |
| % of need met | 63% | 100% |
| Avg. graduate debt | $36,010 | $20,382 |
| Application fee | $65 | $85 |
| Enrollment | 23,643 | 32,680 |
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Is it harder to get into West Virginia or North Carolina?
It's harder to get into North Carolina. West Virginia accepts 89% of applicants, while North Carolina accepts 15.34%.
Do West Virginia or North Carolina graduates earn more?
North Carolina graduates earn more: the median 10 years after enrollment is $72K vs $56K.
How much is tuition at West Virginia vs North Carolina?
Sticker-price tuition is $28,608 per year at West Virginia and $45,228 per year at North Carolina.
What SAT score do you need for West Virginia or North Carolina?
The median admitted SAT score is 1110 at West Virginia and 1470 at North Carolina; aim for these values or higher to be competitive.
Which university ranks higher - West Virginia or North Carolina?
North Carolina ranks higher in the ARWU world ranking: #501-600 for West Virginia vs #35 for North Carolina.
Which university offers more financial aid - West Virginia or North Carolina?
The average aid package is $16,730 at West Virginia and $20,705 at North Carolina.
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