Payback
EarningsPlus
Economic score
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is a public national university located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is very selective in their admissions.
Return on educational investment at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is in the top 5% of all ranked schools. The median student earns $61,915 10 years after enrolling, 5th in North Carolina, and in the top 25% nationally. When adjusted for earning differences by major, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill bachelor students earn 12% more than the national average. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is ranked 1st in North Carolina.
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s median net annual cost of $12,469 and average years to graduate of 4.2 are reported only at the school level. We assume these same costs and graduation time for all programs.
The top 6 programs at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill sorted by number of graduates - Biology, Comms & Media Studies, Business Administration, Computer Science, Health & Fitness, Economics - are shown below. To see more programs, click on "see additional programs".
Annual net cost
$12,469
Average years to graduate
4.2
Applied Mathematics
Rank: #5
Economic score: 0.69
Nursing
Rank: #124
Economic score: 1.55
Chemistry
Rank: #10
Economic score: 1.69
Biomedical/Medical Engineering
Rank: #45
Economic score: 2.01
Poli Sci/Government
Rank: #26
Economic score: 2.07
Natural Resource Conservation
Rank: #17
Economic score: 2.42
Education-grades & methods
Rank: #25
Economic score: 2.66
English Language & Lit
Rank: #22
Economic score: 2.71
Public Policy Analysis
Rank: #10
Economic score: 2.78
Area Studies
Rank: #16
Economic score: 3.57
EarningPlus compares the three-year post graduate earnings to the median earnings of the same graduating class, with the same graduate degree. These 2 metrics, debt-to-earnings and EarningsPlus, are combined into an economic score. The lower the economic score the better.
The most popular 6 graduate programs at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill - Public Health, Accounting, Social Work, Nursing, Health Administrative Services, Public Administration - are shown below. To see more programs, click on "see additional programs".
Advanced/Graduate Dentistry and Oral Sciences.
Rank: #1
Economic score: 0.3
Urban/community planning
Rank: #7
Economic score: 0.57
Communication disorder sciences
Rank: #49
Economic score: 0.6
Student Counseling
Rank: #65
Economic score: 0.69
Library Science
Rank: #24
Economic score: 0.73
Education-grades & methods
Rank: #238
Economic score: 0.73
Therapeutic professions
Rank: #74
Economic score: 0.79
Computer Systems Analysis
Rank: #32
Economic score: 0.93
Nutrition Sciences
Rank: #17
Economic score: 1.37
Comms & Media Studies
Rank: #49
Economic score: 1.46
The average student at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill takes 4.2 years to graduate, with 91% graduating within 8 years including part-time students. The graduation rate at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is 34% more than the state average and 23% more than the average for all national universities in the country.
At University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Pell Grant recipients represent 23% of the measured graduating class, 12% lower than the national average of 35%. The average Pell Grant recipient at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill graduates within 4.2 years.
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is in the top 50% of schools for graduating Pell recipients.
We calculate this performance by adjusting the graduation rate of Pell students by their percentage of the student body. This adjustment is made to prevent schools with large numbers of Pell students from underperforming in comparison to schools with few Pell students but high graduation rates.
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s economic mobility score of 22.41 is calculated by adjusting the 0.37 economic score of lower-income students by the 23% pell grant recipients within the student body. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s EMS of 22.41 ranks in the top 25% nationally.
Economic Mobility
To calculate economic mobility of low-income (household earnings below $30,000) students, we adjust each institution’s economic score by their percentage of Pell Grant students. The logic of this Pell-adjusted calculation is derived from Third Way’s Economic Mobility Index (EMI).
Top 25%
The average Title IV recipient at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill pays $12,469 a year, $12,077 less than the $24,546 advertised. See below the cost breakdown for students who receive Title IV grants, broken down by income level.
Average net price
The average net price shown by income level for all students that receive Title IV aid. Calculated by deducting the average grant and scholarship aid from tuition, fees, books, and room and board. Limited to first-time, full-time students. Public institution figures are calculated using in-state tuition figures.
Median net price $12,469
Much of the gap between net price and sticker price is filled by institutional and government grants. At University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 42% of students receive some grants and scholarships, compared to the national average of 87% for all colleges and universities. The average amount of federal, state, and institutional grants that students receive is shown on the right.
This leaves a total of $12,469 on average to be covered by the student – be it through loans or out of pocket. In total, 19% of students take out loans, federal or private, at an average amount of $6,501. This is 35% less than the national average.
Federal grants
$4,244
Pell grants
$5,128
State grants
$3,869
Institutional grants
$11,440
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's very selective admissions are indicated by their 20% acceptance rate. In 2021, the school had 50,729 applicants, of which 10,348 were admitted and 4,690 enrolled. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill doesn't have a rolling admissions policy, which means applications are reviewed after a hard admissions deadline.
Full time
100%
83%
Female
62%
59%
First time
81%
59%
In-state
84%
68%
1st generation
20%
35%
White
57%
52%
Black
8%
14%
Hispanic
9%
15%
Asian
12%
5%
American Indian
N/A
1.6%
Pacific Islander
N/A
0.3%
Other
13%
12%