NC State: A Parent's Guide to Admissions, Cost & Outcomes

NC State is a public institution located in Raleigh, North Carolina with a selective admissions profile. For the most recent reporting cycle, NC State admits between a quarter and half of applicants, with an overall admission rate of 40%. Admitted students typically post a median SAT of 1390 and an ACT composite around 30. The average net price after grants and scholarships is $17,303 per year, which is the figure most families actually pay rather than the published sticker price.

What GPA does my child need for NC State?

78% of enrolled students at NC State had a high school GPA of 3.75 or above, and the average was 3.84, according to its 2025-2026 Common Data Set.

What does NC State weight in admissions?

NC State reports these factor weights in its Common Data Set (2025-2026). What the weights mean

How NC State reads an application: what each weighting means for your child, plus waitlist, transfer and early-round odds

SAT and ACT scores NC State typically admits

The middle-50 SAT Math range is 650–750, with an EBRW midpoint near 665. The middle-50 ACT composite range is 28–32. A score at or above this school's 75th percentile materially improves your child's odds, particularly when paired with a rigorous course load.

Where admitted students ranked in their high school class

Class rank distribution gives parents a clear sense of how academically dominant a typical admitted student was within their own high school cohort, often a more meaningful signal than absolute GPA.

How much does NC State actually cost?

Published tuition is $8,799 for in-state students and $32,847 for out-of-state, before grants and scholarships. Room and board adds roughly $14,332 annually. After need-based and merit aid, the average family pays a net price of $17,303 per year, and that is the number that actually matters for budgeting. Roughly 20% of students receive Pell Grants.

Application deadlines and early decision data for NC State

Will my child graduate from NC State?

These predict outcomes at NC State better than its acceptance rate does. How to read retention and graduation rates

Most popular majors at NC State

The most popular undergraduate programs at NC State, measured by the number of students who actually graduate each year, are Business Administration, Management and Operations, Biology, General and Psychology, General. Across all programs, NC State confers roughly 2,748 bachelor's degrees a year. Graduates of its Business Administration, Management and Operations program report a median income of about $81,060 five years after entering college. What these figures mean

Is NC State safe? Campus crime & safety

In its most recent Clery Act report (2024), NC State disclosed 69 total criminal offenses across its campus and surrounding public property, about 2.5 per 1,000 students. That figure includes 10 violent offenses and 6 reported sexual assaults or VAWA offenses. Why per-1,000 rates, not counts

What is campus life like at NC State?

About 36% of undergraduates at NC State live in campus housing, so a meaningful share of students commute or live off campus. In Greek life, 11% of men join a fraternity and 15% of women join a sorority. Residential rate and Greek participation shape day-to-day social life and are worth weighing alongside academics and cost.

Other colleges in North Carolina parents ask about

• Appalachian State University
  90% acceptance
• East Carolina University
  89% acceptance
• University of North Carolina at Charlotte
  80% acceptance
• University of North Carolina at Greensboro
  89% acceptance
• Davidson College
  13% acceptance
• Elon University
  66% acceptance
• High Point University
  75% acceptance
• University of North Carolina at Pembroke
  93% acceptance

Common questions parents ask about NC State