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University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill turned away roughly 81% of its 57,902 applicants in the Fall 2023 cycle — selective enough that the middle-50% ranges below deserve a careful read.
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University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill sits in Chapel Hill proper — a public campus woven into the city rather than walled off from it. International students are a visible presence here — 5.6% of undergraduates come from outside the U.S.
Its highest-earning path is Computer Science, where graduates median $137,047 four years out. Faculty pay averages $180,552 a year here — a rough proxy for what the school spends on the teaching itself. With 20,752 undergraduates and a residential core, weekends happen on campus — and 96.6% of first-years come back for a second year.
Submitters admitted here typically landed between 1370 and 1530 — above the NC middle for four-year schools. Put your own practice estimate on University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's range with the SAT calculator, or bring a saved GPA from the grade tools.
Admissions
You can apply to University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill without scores. Among admitted students who did submit, the middle half landed between 1370 and 1530; applicants below that range often simply apply without them.
| Score | 25th | 50th | 75th |
|---|---|---|---|
| SAT Reading & Writing | 680 | 720 | 750 |
| SAT Math | 690 | 750 | 780 |
| ACT Composite | 30 | 32 | 34 |
Percentiles are among students who submitted scores (Fall 2023 admissions cycle).
In the Fall 2023 cycle, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill received 57,902 applications and admitted 10,850 (18.7%), with 4,699 enrolling.
How University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill compares
| University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | North Carolina median | National median | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acceptance rate | 15.3% | 75.1% | 77.2% |
| Tuition (in-state) | $8,994 | $19,500 | $19,591 |
| Median earnings (10 yr) | $72,200 | $45,873 | $53,781 |
Ten years after enrolling, the median University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill student earns $72,200 — 57% above the North Carolina median of $45,873 for college-goers.
Cost, size & completion
As a public university, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill prices by residency: $8,994 in-state versus $41,203 out-of-state — a $32,209 gap that makes state lines part of the decision.
20,752 undergraduates make University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill a large campus: broad course catalogs and big intro lectures come as a package.
91.2% of University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill students finish a bachelor's within six years — 36.3 points above the national 54.9% — and the single best predictor that the $8,994 price above buys a degree, not just enrollment.
Top majors by earnings at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
| Bachelor's program | Median earnings, 4 yrs after completion |
|---|---|
| Computer Science | $137,047 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | $135,874 |
| Applied Mathematics | $119,839 |
| Health and Medical Administrative Services | $110,204 |
| Economics | $103,846 |
| Physics | $103,477 |
| Mathematics | $101,599 |
| Information Science/Studies | $100,940 |
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering | $97,992 |
| Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution | $80,344 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | $78,585 |
| Human Resources Management and Services | $76,811 |
| Public Policy Analysis | $74,403 |
| Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions | $72,892 |
| Dental Support Services and Allied Professions | $72,567 |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | $72,422 |
| Political Science and Government | $72,001 |
| Philosophy | $70,709 |
| Communication and Media Studies | $70,240 |
| Area Studies | $65,933 |
| Natural Resources Conservation and Research | $65,337 |
| Chemistry | $64,981 |
| Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | $64,570 |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness | $63,286 |
| Biology, General | $62,047 |
| Music | $58,127 |
| History | $57,952 |
| Psychology, General | $57,477 |
| Anthropology | $56,589 |
| Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies | $54,691 |
| Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services | $54,181 |
| Religion/Religious Studies | $52,716 |
| Sociology | $51,801 |
| English Language and Literature, General | $51,208 |
| Geography and Cartography | $49,476 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | $49,209 |
| Fine and Studio Arts | $41,722 |
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft | $41,362 |
Median earnings for these 38 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill programs come from a different federal cohort than the campus-wide $72,200 above — compare rows to each other, not to that 10-year figure. 13 additional University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill programs have earnings withheld under federal privacy rules.
Frequently asked questions
What GPA and test scores do you need for University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill?
Among admitted students who submitted scores, the middle 50% scored 1370–1530 on the SAT. There's no published GPA cutoff — pair these ranges with the 15.3% admission rate to judge your odds.
What is University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's acceptance rate?
18.7% in the Fall 2023 cycle — 10,850 admitted from 57,902 applicants.
How much does University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill cost?
In-state tuition is $8,994; out-of-state students pay $41,203. Fees, housing and aid move the real total in both directions.
What do University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill graduates earn?
Federal data puts median earnings at $72,200 ten years after enrolling. The table above breaks this down by major.
Similar colleges in North Carolina
- University of North Carolina School of the Arts — 30% admitted
- Saint Augustine's University — 33.8% admitted
- Wake Forest University — 21.7% admitted
- Cabarrus College of Health Sciences — 23.4% admitted
Run your own numbers
Data: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard (Jun 2026), IPEDS ADM2023/HD2024. Retrieved 2026-09-01. Figures reflect the latest federal cohorts, which lag the current admissions cycle.