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University of North Carolina School of the Arts
University of North Carolina School of the Arts turned away roughly 67% of its 1,423 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 School of the Arts sits in Winston Salem proper — a public campus woven into the city rather than walled off from it.
Its highest-earning path is Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft, where graduates median $48,664 four years out. Faculty pay averages $107,760 a year here — a rough proxy for what the school spends on the teaching itself. With 945 undergraduates and a residential core, weekends happen on campus — and 92.8% of first-years come back for a second year.
Submitters admitted here typically landed between 1150 and 1350 — above the NC middle for four-year schools. Put your own practice estimate on University of North Carolina School of the Arts's range with the SAT calculator, or bring a saved GPA from the grade tools.
Admissions
Scores help here but aren't the gate. If your SAT sits inside the 1150–1350 submitter range, sending it likely helps; below it, University of North Carolina School of the Arts's own policy says you can leave it out.
| Score | 25th | 50th | 75th |
|---|---|---|---|
| SAT Reading & Writing | 600 | 670 | 710 |
| SAT Math | 550 | 580 | 640 |
| ACT Composite | 24 | 26 | 27 |
Percentiles are among students who submitted scores (Fall 2023 admissions cycle).
In the Fall 2023 cycle, University of North Carolina School of the Arts received 1,423 applications and admitted 471 (33.1%), with 221 enrolling.
How University of North Carolina School of the Arts compares
| University of North Carolina School of the Arts | North Carolina median | National median | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acceptance rate | 30% | 75.1% | 77.2% |
| Tuition (in-state) | $9,477 | $19,500 | $19,591 |
| Median earnings (10 yr) | $38,357 | $45,873 | $53,781 |
Ten years out, University of North Carolina School of the Arts's median earnings are $38,357 — below the North Carolina benchmark of $45,873. Weigh that against the $9,477 price above; the by-major table shows majors drive much of this gap.
Cost, size & completion
As a public university, University of North Carolina School of the Arts prices by residency: $9,477 in-state versus $27,211 out-of-state — a $17,734 gap that makes state lines part of the decision.
With 945 undergraduates, University of North Carolina School of the Arts is small enough that class size and faculty access are structural, not marketing claims.
77.8% of University of North Carolina School of the Arts students finish a bachelor's within six years — 22.9 points above the national 54.9% — and the single best predictor that the $9,477 price above buys a degree, not just enrollment.
Top majors by earnings at University of North Carolina School of the Arts
| Bachelor's program | Median earnings, 4 yrs after completion |
|---|---|
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft | $48,664 |
| Film/Video and Photographic Arts | $41,000 |
| Music | $34,022 |
| Dance | $32,463 |
Median earnings for these 4 University of North Carolina School of the Arts programs come from a different federal cohort than the campus-wide $38,357 above — compare rows to each other, not to that 10-year figure.
Frequently asked questions
What GPA and test scores do you need for University of North Carolina School of the Arts?
Among admitted students who submitted scores, the middle 50% scored 1150–1350 on the SAT. There's no published GPA cutoff — pair these ranges with the 30% admission rate to judge your odds.
What is University of North Carolina School of the Arts's acceptance rate?
33.1% in the Fall 2023 cycle — 471 admitted from 1,423 applicants.
How much does University of North Carolina School of the Arts cost?
In-state tuition is $9,477; out-of-state students pay $27,211. Fees, housing and aid move the real total in both directions.
What do University of North Carolina School of the Arts graduates earn?
Federal data puts median earnings at $38,357 ten years after enrolling. The table above breaks this down by major.
Similar colleges in North Carolina
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill — 15.3% 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.