UNC Chapel Hill: A Parent's Guide to Admissions, Cost & Outcomes
Officially University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill · Chapel Hill, North Carolina · Public · Highly selective · CDS 2025-2026
Admission at a glance
Common Data Set 2025-2026
- Test-optional
- Early Action
- 76,247
- Applicants
- 12,751
- Admitted17%
- 5,091
- Enrolled
- 40%
- Yield rate
Selectivity
Highly selective17% admittedRanked #27 (tie) in National Universities; Best Undergraduate Engineering Programs #57 (tie), Business Programs #6 (tie), Computer Science #34 (tie), Nursing #6 (tie)U.S. News & World Report, Best Colleges 2027
Admission figures come from the 2025-2026 Common Data Set published by University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (see the source), read on 2026-10-21. The admission-factor grid was re-read from that file to confirm each weighting.
Is UNC Chapel Hill a reach, target or safety for your student?
Enter a GPA and course load and the calculator places UNC Chapel Hill against it in about a minute. No account needed.
UNC Chapel Hill is a public university in Chapel Hill, North Carolina that admits about 17% of applicants, making it a highly selective school. The average family pays about $11,655 a year after financial aid, which matters more than the published sticker price. It is best known for Communication and Media Studies, Biology, General and Behavioral Sciences, its largest undergraduate programs by number of graduates. About 91% of students graduate within six years. Its most recent Clery Act report shows roughly 4.8 criminal offenses per 1,000 students.
UNC Chapel Hill is a public institution located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina and one of the highly selective schools in the country. For the most recent reporting cycle, UNC Chapel Hill admits between 1 in 10 and 1 in 4 applicants, with an overall admission rate of 17%. Admitted students typically post a median SAT of 1470 and an ACT composite around 25. The average net price after grants and scholarships is $11,655 per year, which is the figure most families actually pay rather than the published sticker price.
What parents should know about UNC Chapel Hill right now
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, chartered in 1789 and enrolling students since 1795, is one of the oldest public universities in the United States and the flagship of the UNC System. With around 32,000 students on a classic Southern campus, Chapel Hill is consistently ranked among the top public universities in the country and is part of the Research Triangle alongside Duke and NC State. For parents, two recent developments stand out. First, following the 2023 Supreme Court decision in Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard and UNC, Chapel Hill ended race-conscious admissions and in 2024 expanded its Carolina Covenant program, which guarantees a debt-free undergraduate education to admitted in-state and out-of-state students from families below a defined income threshold. Second, UNC has remained test-optional for first-year applicants while continuing to publish strong middle-50 percent SAT and ACT ranges, giving families flexibility in how they present a student's profile. Distinctive programs include the Kenan-Flagler Business School, the Hussman School of Journalism and Media, and the Morehead-Cain and Robertson merit scholarships, which fully fund tuition, room, board, and summer enrichment. North Carolina law requires that at least 82 percent of each entering first-year class come from in-state, which materially affects out-of-state admit rates and is essential context for parents weighing application strategy.
What GPA does my child need for UNC Chapel Hill?
95% of enrolled students at UNC Chapel Hill had a high school GPA of 4.0 or above, and the average was 4.47, according to its 2025-2026 Common Data Set.
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What does UNC Chapel Hill weight in admissions?
UNC Chapel Hill reports these factor weights in its Common Data Set (2025-2026). What the weights mean
Very Important
7- Rigor of secondary school record
- Application essay
- Recommendations
- Extracurricular activities
- Talent/ability
- Character/personal qualities
- State residency
Important
4- Class rank
- Academic GPA
- Volunteer work
- Work experience
Considered
3- Standardized test scores
- First generation status
- Alumni/ae relation
Not Considered
4- Interview
- Geographical residence
- Religious affiliation/commitment
- Level of applicant's interest
SAT and ACT scores UNC Chapel Hill typically admits
The middle-50 SAT Math range is 700–780, with an EBRW midpoint near 625. The middle-50 ACT composite range is 28–34. Scores below the 25th-percentile mark are accepted occasionally, but the realistic submission target for most families is the school's middle-50 floor or higher.
| 25th percentile | 1400 |
| 50th percentile | 1470 |
| 75th percentile | 1530 |
| % submitting SAT | 28% |
| 25th percentile | 29 |
| 50th percentile | 32 |
| 75th percentile | 34 |
| % submitting ACT | 41% |
- • Test-optional: Standardized test scores are not required, but may be submitted and considered.
- • UNC System rule: test optional with weighted GPA 2.8+; below 2.8 must submit ACT 17+ or SAT 930+. Applies 2026-27 and beyond.
- • Checked for Fall 2027 applicants on UNC Chapel Hill's admissions site. Policies change; confirm before you apply.
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.
| Top 10% of class | 76.2% |
| Top 25% of class | 96.7% |
| Top 50% of class | 99.6% |
| % submitting class rank | 66% |
How much does UNC Chapel Hill actually cost?
Published tuition is $8,994 for in-state students and $41,203 for out-of-state, before grants and scholarships. Room and board adds roughly $13,804 annually. After need-based and merit aid, the average family pays a net price of $11,655 per year, and that is the number that actually matters for budgeting. Roughly 20% of students receive Pell Grants.
| In-state tuition | $7,230 |
| Out-of-state tuition | $47,472 |
| Room and board | $15,870 |
| Average net price (after aid) | $11,655 |
| Share of financial need metaverage, for students with need | 100% |
| Average need-based grant | $20,939 |
| Average merit award, no financial need275 first-year students received one | $7,233 |
| Graduates who borrowed | 26% |
| Average debt at graduationamong those who borrowed | $22,675 |
| Financial aid forms | FAFSA and CSS ProfileCollege Board 2026-27 list |
| Application fee | $85 (waivers available) |
Application deadlines and early decision data for UNC Chapel Hill
| Regular deadline | Jan. 15 |
| Notification date | Jan. 31 for early action; Mar. 31 for regular |
| Reply deadline | May 1 |
| Offers Early Action | Yes |
| EA deadline | October 15 |
Will my child graduate from UNC Chapel Hill?
These predict outcomes at UNC Chapel Hill better than its acceptance rate does. How to read retention and graduation rates
Most popular majors at UNC Chapel Hill
The most popular undergraduate programs at UNC Chapel Hill, measured by the number of students who actually graduate each year, are Communication and Media Studies, Biology, General and Behavioral Sciences. Across all programs, UNC Chapel Hill confers roughly 3,493 bachelor's degrees a year. Graduates of its Communication and Media Studies program report a median income of about $67,532 five years after entering college. What these figures mean
| Major | Graduates / year | Median earnings (5 yrs out) |
|---|---|---|
| Communication and Media Studies | 560 | $67,532 |
| Biology, General | 558 | $64,430 |
| Behavioral Sciences | 490 | n/a |
| Economics | 449 | $96,785 |
| Computer Science | 432 | $124,977 |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness | 346 | $58,954 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | 332 | $125,645 |
| Political Science and Government | 326 | $71,082 |
Is UNC Chapel Hill safe? Campus crime & safety
In its most recent Clery Act report (2024), UNC Chapel Hill disclosed 100 total criminal offenses across its campus and surrounding public property, about 4.8 per 1,000 students. That figure includes 9 violent offenses and 25 reported sexual assaults or VAWA offenses. Why per-1,000 rates, not counts
What is campus life like at UNC Chapel Hill?
About 42% of undergraduates at UNC Chapel Hill live in campus housing, so a meaningful share of students commute or live off campus. In Greek life, 6% of men join a fraternity and 9% 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
- Wake Forest University22% acceptance
- North Carolina State University at Raleigh42% acceptance
- Appalachian State University90% acceptance
- East Carolina University89% acceptance
- University of North Carolina at Charlotte80% acceptance
- University of North Carolina at Greensboro89% acceptance
- Davidson College13% acceptance
- Elon University66% acceptance
Next steps for UNC Chapel Hill
Common questions parents ask about UNC Chapel Hill
What GPA do I need for UNC Chapel Hill?
95% of enrolled students at UNC Chapel Hill had a high school GPA of 4.0 or above, and the average was 4.47, according to its 2025-2026 Common Data Set.
What SAT or ACT score does UNC Chapel Hill typically admit?
The middle-50 SAT Math range is 700–780, with an EBRW midpoint near 625. The middle-50 ACT composite range is 28–34.
How much does UNC Chapel Hill actually cost after financial aid?
The average net price at UNC Chapel Hill after grants and scholarships is $11,655 per year, against a published in-state tuition of $8,994 and $41,203 out of state. Budget against the net figure.
Is UNC Chapel Hill realistic for my child?
UNC Chapel Hill admits 17% of applicants, so 700–780 SAT Math is target range and below 700 is a reach. Then check the $11,655 average net price against what your family can carry.
What is the acceptance rate at UNC Chapel Hill?
UNC Chapel Hill accepts about 17% of applicants out of roughly 76,247 who apply each year. That makes it a highly selective school.
Is UNC Chapel Hill test-optional?
Yes. UNC Chapel Hill is test-optional for Fall 2027 applicants, so SAT and ACT scores are not required, but strong scores can still be submitted and will be considered. UNC System rule: test optional with weighted GPA 2.8+; below 2.8 must submit ACT 17+ or SAT 930+. Applies 2026-27 and beyond.
What is the graduation rate at UNC Chapel Hill?
About 91% of students at UNC Chapel Hill graduate within six years. 97% of freshmen return for sophomore year. Graduation rate predicts real outcomes better than acceptance rate.
What does UNC Chapel Hill look for in applicants?
UNC Chapel Hill rates course rigor, the application essay, recommendations and extracurricular activities as "very important" in its Common Data Set. These are the factors the admissions committee weighs most heavily when reviewing an application.
Is UNC Chapel Hill a public or private school, and where is it located?
UNC Chapel Hill is a public institution located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
What are the most popular majors at UNC Chapel Hill?
The largest undergraduate majors at UNC Chapel Hill by annual graduates are Communication and Media Studies, Biology, General and Behavioral Sciences. The school awards about 3,493 bachelor's degrees a year in total. These figures come from federal IPEDS completion data.
Is UNC Chapel Hill safe? What is its campus crime rate?
UNC Chapel Hill reported 100 total criminal offenses in its most recent Clery Act disclosure (2024), roughly 4.8 per 1,000 students. Compare the per-1,000 rate rather than the raw total, since larger schools report more incidents.
What is campus life like at UNC Chapel Hill?
At UNC Chapel Hill, 42% of undergraduates live on campus, 6% of men are in fraternities, 9% of women are in sororities, according to its most recent Common Data Set.
Sources: the 2025-2026 Common Data Set submitted by University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the College Scorecard and IPEDS, and Clery Act disclosures. What each source covers