University of North Carolina acceptance rate and your odds of getting in
University of North Carolina is a public university in North Carolina that admits roughly 15% of applicants, which puts it in the highly selective range. A rate like this means it turns away most applicants; the bar is less about clearing a single cutoff and more about how your full profile compares to admitted students.
Use this page to see what University of North Carolina 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 1470, a useful checkpoint for where your scores sit, though it is a reference range and not a cutoff.
What do students study at University of North Carolina?
Bachelor's degrees awarded by field in 2023 (IPEDS completions). Each field has its own page with the school's numbers, the model's major adjustment, and peers offering it.
Will I get into University of North Carolina?
Direct answers to what applicants ask about getting into University of North Carolina, plus a free way to calculate your own odds.
What are my chances of getting into University of North Carolina?
At University of North Carolina, your real chance depends on far more than the published 15% admit 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 University of North Carolina in about three minutes, with no account needed to start.
Is University of North Carolina hard to get into?
University of North Carolina is highly selective: it turns away most applicants, with about a 15% acceptance rate. Strong academics are expected here, so the rest of your profile usually decides the outcome.
What GPA do you need to get into University of North Carolina?
There is no hard GPA cutoff at University of North Carolina, but most admitted students present roughly a 3.8 to 4.0 GPA with a rigorous course load. University of North Carolina reads your GPA alongside the rigor of your courses, so a challenging schedule matters as much as the number itself.
Your chances at University of North Carolina by GPA and SAT
Estimated chance of admission at University of North Carolina for plain profiles, from the same model as the calculator. Unweighted GPA, 6 AP courses, Regular Decision, no legacy, athletic or first-generation hook. The last column is test-optional (no score sent).
What are my chances at University of North Carolina with a 3.7 GPA and a 1460 SAT?
About 25% (Target), by CollegeCalcAI's deterministic model, for an applicant with a 3.7 unweighted GPA and a 1460 SAT, the middle of University of North Carolina's admitted range, applying Regular Decision without a hook. A 3.9 GPA with a 1530 SAT comes out near 31%. Courses, activities, essays and the application round move the number; the free calculator includes them.
Estimates, not guarantees. Get yours with your real courses and activities. Assistants and developers can fetch this table from the free API: /api/v1/colleges/university-of-north-carolina.
Early Decision, Early Action and the waitlist at University of North Carolina
From University of North Carolina's own 2025-26 Common Data Set (fall 2025 entering class): sections C1, C2, C21-C22 and D2.
Does University of North Carolina have early decision?
No. University of North Carolina reported no Early Decision plan in its 2025-26 Common Data Set. It does offer Early Action.
How many students get off the waitlist at University of North Carolina?
2,099 for fall 2025. University of North Carolina offered 7,355 applicants a waitlist spot, 5,258 accepted one, and 2,099 were admitted from it: 39.9% of those who stayed on (University of North Carolina's 2025-26 Common Data Set).
What is the transfer acceptance rate at University of North Carolina?
37%: 1,970 of 5,330 transfer applicants were admitted for fall 2025 (University of North Carolina's 2025-26 Common Data Set).
Source: University of North Carolina Common Data Set 2025-26. Every figure appears verbatim in the document. See how early rounds compare across colleges in the Early Decision rankings.
How to get into University of North Carolina
Built from University of North Carolina's admitted class and what it reports weighing. The typical-admit GPA and SAT are CollegeCalcAI's modeled figures, not published cutoffs.
Getting into University of North Carolina comes down to four decisions, each one visible in the data on this page.
CollegeCalcAI's modeled typical admit at University of North Carolina carries about a 3.84 core GPA and a 1480 SAT, in the most rigorous schedule available. At this selectivity that is the entry ticket, not the deciding factor.
The admitted middle 50% is 1390 to 1530 SAT (28 to 34 ACT). Submit a score at 1460 or higher; below 1390, apply test-optional if the policy allows.
University of North Carolina rates rigor of secondary school record, academic GPA, and state residency highest in its own Common Data Set. Put your depth there: and a transcript whose rigor rises through junior year.
Most public universities read early applicants first without a binding commitment. Apply by University of North Carolina's early or priority deadline (confirm dates at www.unc.edu), and if you are out of state, know that residency changes both the bar and the price.
How many students apply to University of North Carolina, and how many get in?
57,902 students applied to University of North Carolina for fall 2023; 10,850 were admitted (18.7%). 4,699 enrolled. Roughly 43% of admitted students enrolled, a typical yield for a school in this range. University of North Carolina enrolls about 20,752 undergraduates in total, 61% of them women, with a student-to-faculty ratio of 15 to 1.
Source: U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS 2023 admissions and enrollment.
What SAT and ACT scores do you need for University of North Carolina?
Admitted students at University of North Carolina post SAT scores of 1390 to 1530 in the middle 50%, with an average of 1439. On the ACT the middle 50% runs from 28 to 34. A score above 1530 puts you in the top quarter of admits and turns the test into an asset; a score below 1390 puts you in the bottom quarter, where the rest of the application has to carry more weight. University of North Carolina is test-optional: scores are considered if you submit them but not required. Send a score at or above the middle of the admitted range; otherwise apply without one and let your transcript lead.
Source: College Scorecard (U.S. Department of Education), release 2026-06-10.
What University of North Carolina looks for
What University of North Carolina weighs most heavily in its admissions review, informed by its reported Common Data Set.
University of North Carolina signals that it values rigor of secondary school record, academic GPA, and state residency above the rest of the file. At this level of selectivity, the difference between admits is rarely the transcript alone; essays, recommendations, and a coherent story matter. These ratings come from University of North Carolina'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 University of North Carolina
How common SAT scores sit relative to the admitted middle. This is context, not a probability. Your full profile determines the real estimate.
How much does University of North Carolina cost after financial aid?
The full sticker price at University of North Carolina (tuition, fees, housing, food, books) is about $26,055 a year. Tuition and fees are $8,994 for NC residents and $41,203 for out-of-state students, a $32,209 gap that makes residency the single biggest lever on cost. What families actually pay is different: the average net price after grants and scholarships is $11,655 a year, and it ranges from $2,004 for families earning under $30,000 to $24,396 for families earning over $110,000. 20% of undergraduates receive a federal Pell Grant.
Source: College Scorecard (U.S. Department of Education), release 2026-06-10. Net price is what students receiving aid paid after grants, by family income.
What do University of North Carolina graduates earn, and how many graduate?
Median earnings for University of North Carolina students ten years after entry are $72,200 ($57,057 at the six-year mark). 91% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years, and 97% return for a second year. Among graduates who borrowed, median federal debt at graduation is $14,000; 13% of undergraduates take federal loans.
Source: College Scorecard (U.S. Department of Education), release 2026-06-10. Earnings cover students who received federal aid.
How University of North Carolina compares in North Carolina
University of North Carolina ranks #3 most selective of 38 schools in North Carolina in our database.
Among the 38 North Carolina schools we track, University of North Carolina ranks #3 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 University of North Carolina
Schools with a similar selectivity profile, worth comparing as you build a balanced list.
If University of North Carolina is on your list, schools with a similar admit profile are worth a look: Georgia Tech, U.S. Air Force Academy, and University of Michigan. 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 is University of North Carolina's acceptance rate?
University of North Carolina admitted 10,850 of 57,902 applicants for the fall 2023 entering class, an acceptance rate of 18.7% (U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS). 43% of admitted students enrolled.
What SAT score do you need for University of North Carolina?
The middle 50% of admitted students scored 1390 to 1530 on the SAT and 28 to 34 on the ACT. A score above 1530 is in the top quarter of admits. University of North Carolina is test-optional, so only submit a score that helps.
Is University of North Carolina test-optional?
Yes. University of North Carolina reports that test scores are considered but not required. Submit a score at or above the middle of the admitted range; otherwise apply without one.
How much does University of North Carolina cost after financial aid?
The average net price at University of North Carolina, what students receiving aid paid after grants and scholarships, is $11,655 a year against a sticker price of about $26,055. Families earning under $30,000 paid about $2,004 on average.
What do University of North Carolina graduates earn?
Median earnings ten years after entering University of North Carolina are $72,200 a year among students who received federal aid, and 91% of students graduate within six years (College Scorecard).
What does University of North Carolina value most in applicants?
Based on its admissions profile, University of North Carolina weighs rigor of secondary school record, academic GPA, and state residency most heavily. The full factor breakdown is on this page.
Does University of North Carolina favor in-state applicants?
As a public university, University of North Carolina 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 University of North Carolina?
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 University of North Carolina specifically.
How does residency affect admission to University of North Carolina?
As a public university, University of North Carolina typically admits in-state students at a higher rate, and tuition differs sharply by residency. Select your home state in the calculator to fold the in-state effect into your estimate.
Acceptance rate, application counts, admitted test ranges, cost, and outcomes reflect publicly reported federal data (U.S. Department of Education: IPEDS 2023 and the College Scorecard) and each school's Common Data Set; figures are rounded and lag the current cycle by one to two years, so confirm deadlines and policies on the school's own site. The typical-admit GPA and SAT are CollegeCalcAI's modeled estimates. Estimates from CollegeCalcAI are a planning tool computed by a fixed, transparent model, not a guarantee of any admission decision.