UB vs. UNCW

Should I go to University at Buffalo or University of North Carolina at Wilmington? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if UB 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.
Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

University at Albany- SUNY SUNY Stony Brook ASU Binghamton University UNC Charlotte UNC Chapel Hill Penn State ECU State University of New York at New Paltz SUNY at Geneseo Syracuse ASU
University at Buffalo vs. University of North Carolina at Wilmington comparison
University at Buffalo University of North Carolina at Wilmington College 3 College 4
University at Buffalo University of North Carolina at Wilmington
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

 UB UNCW
Location Buffalo, NY Wilmington, NC
Setting Large Suburban Midsize City
Enrollment 31,889 17,987
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #101 #390
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website buffalo.edu uncw.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 UB UNCW
Tuition (In State) $7,070 $4,443
Tuition (Out of State) $26,860 $20,111
Room & Board $16,754 $12,605
Avg Net Price $20,511 $18,606
Avg Grant Aid $9,996 $6,516
% Receiving Grant Aid 74% 54%

Admission

 UB UNCW
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 38,210 17,370
Admitted 26,481 12,856
Acceptance Rate 69.3% 74%
Enrolled % 16.1% 21%
Avg High School GPA 3.75 3.56
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Very High Difficult
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 27/32 24/28
SAT Range 1210/1380 1220/1360
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, 2026

Academics

 UB UNCW
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Engineering (11%)
  • Psychology (11%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Business (22%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Biology (8%)

Outcomes

 UB UNCW
Graduation Rate 71% 67%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $58,400 $44,700
Making Student Loan Payments 70% 64%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,500 $20,500
Median Loan Payment $201 $211

Diversity

 UB UNCW
% Men 17% 5%
% Women 19% 14%
Racial Diversity Very High Low
HBCU No No
% White 48% 78%
% Black 7% 5%
% Hispanic 6% 7%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 3%
% International 16% 1%
% Unknown Race 5% 3%

Students

 UB UNCW
% In-State 88% 77%
% Out-of-State 3% 22%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University at Buffalo is larger than than UNCW based on total student enrollment (31,889 students vs. 17,987 students)

UB vs. UNCW Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UB or UNCW?

  • University at Buffalo is 59.1% more expensive to attend than UNCW for in-state tuition ($7,070.00 vs. $4,443.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 33.6% higher at UB than University of North Carolina at Wilmington ($26,860.00 vs. $20,111.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of North Carolina at Wilmington than UB ($18,606 vs. $20,511)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of North Carolina at Wilmington are 32.9% lower than costs at University at Buffalo ($12,605 vs. $16,754)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University at Buffalo than University of North Carolina at Wilmington (74% vs. 54%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University at Buffalo students is 53.4% larger than aid received University of North Carolina at Wilmington ($9,996 vs. $6,516)

UB vs. UNCW Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University at Buffalo (1173) is 11 points higher than at UNCW (1162)
  • Incoming UB students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at UNCW (25)
  • Accepted freshman UB students have a 0.19 point higher average high school GPA (3.75) than students at UNCW (3.56)
  • UNCW has a higher acceptance rate (74%) than UB (69.3%)

UB vs. UNCW Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UB 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 UB.

  • The graduation rate at UB is higher than University of North Carolina at Wilmington (71% vs. 67%)
  • Graduates from University at Buffalo earn on average $13,700 more per year than UNCW graduates after ten years. ($58,400 vs. $44,700)
  • University at Buffalo students graduate with a $1,000 lower median federal student loan debt than UNCW graduates. ($19,500 vs. $20,500)
  • UB graduates are paying $10 less per month on federal student loans than UNCW graduates. ($201 vs. $211)
  • More UB graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UNCW students, three years after graduation. (70% vs. 64%)

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