SCAD vs. UNCW

Should I go to Savannah College of Art and Design or University of North Carolina at Wilmington? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if SCAD or UNCW 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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Savannah College of Art and Design vs. University of North Carolina at Wilmington comparison
Savannah College of Art and Design University of North Carolina at Wilmington College 3 College 4
Savannah College of Art and Design University of North Carolina at Wilmington
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Overview

SCAD UNCW
Location Savannah, GA Wilmington, NC
Setting Midsize City Midsize City
Enrollment 16,414 17,843
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #765 #377
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website scad.edu uncw.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

SCAD UNCW
Tuition (In State) $39,105 $4,443
Tuition (Out of State) $39,105 $19,063
Room & Board $15,594 $12,120
Avg Net Price $45,976 $18,709
Avg Grant Aid $13,157 $6,217
% Receiving Grant Aid 98% 56%

Admission

SCAD UNCW
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 14,387 16,860
Admitted 11,759 11,605
Acceptance Rate 81.7% 68.8%
Enrolled % 29.5% 20.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.56 3.56
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Difficult
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 20/28 24/29
SAT Range 1060/1280 1220/1370
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 Feb 1, 2025

Academics

SCAD UNCW
Student to Faculty Ratio 20:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Visual and Performing Arts (74%)
  • Communications Technology (13%)
  • Architecture (5%)
  • Work and Family Studies (3%)
  • Communication (3%)
  • Business (22%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Biology (8%)

Outcomes

SCAD UNCW
Graduation Rate 64% 67%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $39,800 $44,700
Making Student Loan Payments 55% 64%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $20,500
Median Loan Payment $279 $211

Diversity

SCAD UNCW
% Men 30% 34%
% Women 70% 66%
Racial Diversity High Low
HBCU No No
% White 54% 78%
% Black 12% 5%
% Hispanic 9% 7%
% Native American 1% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 0% 3%
% International 15% 1%
% Unknown Race 4% 3%

Students

SCAD UNCW
% In-State 16% 80%
% Out-of-State 72% 19%

Campus

SCAD UNCW
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • University of North Carolina at Wilmington is larger than than SCAD based on total student enrollment (17,843 students vs. 16,414 students)

SCAD vs. UNCW Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, SCAD or UNCW?

  • Savannah College of Art and Design is 780.1% more expensive to attend than UNCW for in-state tuition ($39,105.00 vs. $4,443.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 105.1% higher at SCAD than University of North Carolina at Wilmington ($39,105.00 vs. $19,063.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of North Carolina at Wilmington than SCAD ($18,709 vs. $45,976)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of North Carolina at Wilmington are 28.7% lower than costs at Savannah College of Art and Design ($12,120 vs. $15,594)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Savannah College of Art and Design than University of North Carolina at Wilmington (98% vs. 56%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Savannah College of Art and Design students is 111.6% larger than aid received University of North Carolina at Wilmington ($13,157 vs. $6,217)

SCAD vs. UNCW Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of North Carolina at Wilmington (1162) is 98 points higher than at SCAD (1064)
  • Incoming UNCW students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at SCAD (23)
  • Accepted freshman SCAD students have at the same average high school GPA (3.56) as students at UNCW (3.56)
  • SCAD has a higher acceptance rate (81.7%) than UNCW (68.8%)

SCAD vs. UNCW Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, SCAD or UNCW? 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 UNCW and SCAD.

  • The graduation rate at UNCW is higher than Savannah College of Art and Design (67% vs. 64%)
  • Graduates from University of North Carolina at Wilmington earn on average $4,900 more per year than SCAD graduates after ten years. ($44,700 vs. $39,800)
  • University of North Carolina at Wilmington students graduate with a $6,500 lower median federal student loan debt than SCAD graduates. ($20,500 vs. $27,000)
  • UNCW graduates are paying $68 less per month on federal student loans than SCAD graduates. ($211 vs. $279)
  • More UNCW graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former SCAD students, three years after graduation. (64% vs. 55%)

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