UNC Wilmington acceptance rate and admissions profile
UNC Wilmington, a public university in North Carolina, reports a 64% acceptance rate and sits in the moderately selective band. In practice that means it admits more applicants than it rejects, so a strong application is judged against an applicant pool that is already self-selected.
Use this page to see what UNC Wilmington weighs, where it ranks among North Carolina schools, and how a profile like yours is likely to land. Admitted students post a 75th-percentile SAT around 1300, a useful checkpoint for where your scores sit, though it is a reference range and not a cutoff.
Will I get into UNC Wilmington?
Direct answers to what applicants ask about getting into UNC Wilmington, plus a free way to calculate your own odds.
What are my chances of getting into UNC Wilmington?
Your odds at UNC Wilmington are not the same as its 64% acceptance rate. Your real odds depend on how your GPA, course rigor, test scores, and activities compare to its admitted students. Run your profile through the free CollegeCalcAI calculator to get a personalized acceptance percentage for UNC Wilmington in about three minutes, with no account needed to start.
Is UNC Wilmington hard to get into?
UNC Wilmington is moderately selective: it admits more applicants than it rejects, with about a 64% acceptance rate. Meeting the academic basics gives most qualified applicants a realistic shot.
What GPA do you need to get into UNC Wilmington?
There is no hard GPA cutoff at UNC Wilmington, but admitted students often present roughly a 3.2 to 3.7 GPA. UNC Wilmington reads your GPA alongside the rigor of your courses, so a challenging schedule matters as much as the number itself.
What SAT score do you need for UNC Wilmington?
UNC Wilmington does not publish a required score, but the admitted-student 75th-percentile SAT is around 1300. A score at or above that range strengthens your application, while a lower score puts more weight on your rigor, activities, and essays. CollegeCalcAI shows how your exact score shifts your odds at UNC Wilmington.
What UNC Wilmington looks for
What UNC Wilmington weighs most heavily in its admissions review, informed by its reported Common Data Set.
The factors that carry the most weight at UNC Wilmington are rigor of secondary school record, academic GPA, and class rank. Solid grades in a challenging schedule do most of the work here, with the rest of the application providing context. These ratings come from UNC Wilmington's reported Common Data Set, so the full chart below reflects what the school itself says it values, not a generic guess.
SAT score positioning at UNC Wilmington
How common SAT scores sit relative to the admitted middle. This is context, not a probability — your full profile determines the real estimate.
How UNC Wilmington compares in North Carolina
UNC Wilmington ranks #11 most selective of 38 schools in North Carolina in our database.
Among the 38 North Carolina schools we track, UNC Wilmington ranks #11 most selective by acceptance rate. Schools like Duke University (6%) and Davidson College (13%) sit nearby, which makes North Carolina a useful frame for calibrating a balanced list. As a public university, residency matters: in-state applicants generally see meaningfully better odds than the headline rate suggests.
Similar to UNC Wilmington
Schools with a similar selectivity profile, worth comparing as you build a balanced list.
Applicants targeting UNC Wilmington often weigh Central Missouri, Elizabeth City State University, and Queens College (NY), which sit at a similar level. Running the same profile against each one in the free calculator is the fastest way to see where you are a reach, a match, or a likely.
Frequently asked questions
What does UNC Wilmington value most in applicants?
Based on its admissions profile, UNC Wilmington weighs rigor of secondary school record, academic GPA, and class rank most heavily. The full factor breakdown is on this page.
Does UNC Wilmington favor in-state applicants?
As a public university, UNC Wilmington generally admits in-state applicants at a higher rate than out-of-state applicants, so your home state affects your odds. CollegeCalcAI applies an in-state residency boost when you select your state.
How can I improve my chances at UNC Wilmington?
Focus on the highest-leverage parts of your application: course rigor and GPA trajectory first, then test scores, then a focused leadership or activity spike. CollegeCalcAI's Power-Ups quantify how much each change would move your odds at UNC Wilmington specifically.
What are the admission requirements for UNC Wilmington?
UNC Wilmington reviews GPA, course rigor, test scores (where submitted), activities, and essays. With a more accessible acceptance rate, meeting the academic basics gives most qualified applicants a realistic shot.
Is UNC Wilmington test-optional?
Test-optional policies change year to year, so confirm UNC Wilmington's current policy on its official admissions site. If you do submit scores, the admitted 75th-percentile SAT is around 1300; if you do not, more weight falls on your GPA, course rigor, and essays.
Acceptance rate and admitted test ranges reflect publicly reported data (U.S. Department of Education / NCES IPEDS / Common Data Sets). Estimates from CollegeCalcAI are a planning tool computed by a fixed, transparent model, not a guarantee of any admission decision.