NDSU vs. Coastal Carolina

Should I go to North Dakota State University Main Campus or Coastal Carolina University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if NDSU or Coastal Carolina 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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North Dakota State University Main Campus vs. Coastal Carolina University comparison
North Dakota State University Main Campus Coastal Carolina University College 3 College 4
North Dakota State University Main Campus Coastal Carolina University
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Overview

 NDSU Coastal Carolina
Location Fargo, ND Conway, SC
Setting Midsize City Small City
Enrollment 11,952 10,829
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #591 #767
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ndsu.edu coastal.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 NDSU Coastal Carolina
Tuition (In State) $9,309 $11,460
Tuition (Out of State) $13,963 $29,448
Room & Board $9,565 $11,418
Avg Net Price $16,461 $14,453
Avg Grant Aid $5,841 $9,939
% Receiving Grant Aid 78% 87%

Admission

 NDSU Coastal Carolina
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 7,331 18,223
Admitted 7,024 14,613
Acceptance Rate 95.8% 80.2%
Enrolled % 31.5% 19%
Avg High School GPA 3.53 3.72
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Easy Moderate
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/25 20/26
SAT Range 968/1216 1050/1210
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 Aug 1, 2026

Academics

 NDSU Coastal Carolina
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (19%)
  • Engineering (14%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Agriculture (8%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Business (30%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (7%)

Outcomes

 NDSU Coastal Carolina
Graduation Rate 54% 46%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $53,600 $42,200
Making Student Loan Payments 81% 54%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,300 $24,930
Median Loan Payment $240 $257

Diversity

 NDSU Coastal Carolina
% Men 9% 2%
% Women 9% 3%
Racial Diversity Very Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 86% 68%
% Black 3% 20%
% Hispanic 2% 4%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 5%
% International 3% 1%
% Unknown Race 2% 0%

Students

 NDSU Coastal Carolina
% In-State 35% 31%
% Out-of-State 65% 68%

Campus

 NDSU Coastal Carolina
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes No
Daycare Facility Yes No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • North Dakota State University Main Campus is larger than than Coastal Carolina based on total student enrollment (11,952 students vs. 10,829 students)

NDSU vs. Coastal Carolina Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, NDSU or Coastal Carolina?

  • Coastal Carolina University is 23.1% more expensive to attend than NDSU for in-state tuition ($11,460.00 vs. $9,309.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 110.9% higher at Coastal Carolina than North Dakota State University Main Campus ($29,448.00 vs. $13,963.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Coastal Carolina University than NDSU ($14,453 vs. $16,461)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at North Dakota State University Main Campus are 19.4% lower than costs at Coastal Carolina University ($9,565 vs. $11,418)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Coastal Carolina University than North Dakota State University Main Campus (87% vs. 78%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Coastal Carolina University students is 70.2% larger than aid received North Dakota State University Main Campus ($9,939 vs. $5,841)

NDSU vs. Coastal Carolina Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, NDSU or Coastal Carolina? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Coastal Carolina or NDSU .

  • The average SAT score at North Dakota State University Main Campus (1091) is 82 points higher than at Coastal Carolina (1009)
  • Incoming NDSU students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at Coastal Carolina (22)
  • Accepted freshman Coastal Carolina students have a 0.19 point higher average high school GPA (3.72) than students at NDSU (3.53)
  • NDSU has a higher acceptance rate (95.8%) than Coastal Carolina (80.2%)

NDSU vs. Coastal Carolina Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, NDSU or Coastal Carolina? 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 Coastal Carolina and NDSU.

  • The graduation rate at NDSU is higher than Coastal Carolina University (54% vs. 46%)
  • Graduates from North Dakota State University Main Campus earn on average $11,400 more per year than Coastal Carolina graduates after ten years. ($53,600 vs. $42,200)
  • North Dakota State University Main Campus students graduate with a $1,630 lower median federal student loan debt than Coastal Carolina graduates. ($23,300 vs. $24,930)
  • NDSU graduates are paying $17 less per month on federal student loans than Coastal Carolina graduates. ($240 vs. $257)
  • More NDSU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Coastal Carolina students, three years after graduation. (81% vs. 54%)

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