AU vs. UNC Chapel Hill

Should I go to American University or University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if AU or UNC Chapel Hill is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

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American University vs. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill comparison
American University University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill College 3 College 4
American University University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
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Overview

AU UNC Chapel Hill
Location Washington, DC Chapel Hill, NC
Setting Large City Small City
Enrollment 13,885 31,705
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #93 #64
Religious Affiliation United Methodist - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website american.edu unc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

AU UNC Chapel Hill
Tuition (In State) $53,070 $7,019
Tuition (Out of State) $53,070 $35,580
Room & Board $15,706 $12,254
Avg Net Price $41,369 $10,614
Avg Grant Aid $27,138 $18,066
% Receiving Grant Aid 66% 40%

Admission

AU UNC Chapel Hill
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 19,510 56,341
Admitted 7,926 9,639
Acceptance Rate 40.6% 17.1%
Enrolled % 22.2% 46%
Avg High School GPA 3.7 3.83
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Very High Exceptional
Applicant Competition Low Very High
ACT Range 29/32 30/34
SAT Range 1290/1430 1350/1530
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Jan 15, 2025 Jan 15, 2025

Academics

AU UNC Chapel Hill
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (43%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (6%)
  • Psychology (3%)
  • Social Sciences (17%)
  • Communication (11%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Business (8%)
  • Psychology (8%)

Outcomes

AU UNC Chapel Hill
Graduation Rate 77% 89%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $64,800 $66,100
Making Student Loan Payments 80% 82%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,250 $16,479
Median Loan Payment $250 $170

Diversity

AU UNC Chapel Hill
% Men 37% 40%
% Women 63% 60%
Racial Diversity High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 58% 64%
% Black 7% 8%
% Hispanic 12% 8%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 4%
% International 7% 2%
% Unknown Race 4% 3%

Students

AU UNC Chapel Hill
% In-State 2% 83%
% Out-of-State 94% 12%

Campus

AU UNC Chapel Hill
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes Yes
Daycare Facility Yes No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is larger than than AU based on total student enrollment (31,705 students vs. 13,885 students)

AU vs. UNC Chapel Hill Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, AU or UNC Chapel Hill?

  • American University is 656.1% more expensive to attend than UNC Chapel Hill for in-state tuition ($53,070.00 vs. $7,019.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 49.2% higher at AU than University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill ($53,070.00 vs. $35,580.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill than AU ($10,614 vs. $41,369)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill are 28.2% lower than costs at American University ($12,254 vs. $15,706)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at American University than University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (66% vs. 40%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by American University students is 50.2% larger than aid received University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill ($27,138 vs. $18,066)

AU vs. UNC Chapel Hill Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, AU or UNC Chapel Hill? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between UNC Chapel Hill or AU .

  • The average SAT score at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (1343) is 91 points higher than at AU (1252)
  • Incoming UNC Chapel Hill students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (31) than students at AU (28)
  • Accepted freshman UNC Chapel Hill students have a 0.13 point higher average high school GPA (3.83) than students at AU (3.7)
  • AU has a higher acceptance rate (40.6%) than UNC Chapel Hill (17.1%)

AU vs. UNC Chapel Hill Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, AU or UNC Chapel Hill? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between UNC Chapel Hill and AU.

  • The graduation rate at UNC Chapel Hill is higher than American University (89% vs. 77%)
  • Graduates from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill earn on average $1,300 more per year than AU graduates after ten years. ($66,100 vs. $64,800)
  • University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill students graduate with a $7,771 lower median federal student loan debt than AU graduates. ($16,479 vs. $24,250)
  • UNC Chapel Hill graduates are paying $80 less per month on federal student loans than AU graduates. ($170 vs. $250)
  • More UNC Chapel Hill graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former AU students, three years after graduation. (82% vs. 80%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/