UCI vs. NC State

Should I go to University of California Irvine or North Carolina State University at Raleigh? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if UCI or NC State 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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University of California Irvine vs. North Carolina State University at Raleigh comparison
University of California Irvine North Carolina State University at Raleigh College 3 College 4
University of California Irvine North Carolina State University at Raleigh
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Overview

 UCI NC State
Location Irvine, CA Raleigh, NC
Setting Rural Fringe Large City
Enrollment 35,937 36,700
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #91 #123
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uci.edu ncsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 UCI NC State
Tuition (In State) $11,564 $6,535
Tuition (Out of State) $41,636 $28,276
Room & Board $17,699 $12,748
Avg Net Price $14,033 $14,852
Avg Grant Aid $17,411 $9,181
% Receiving Grant Aid 80% 71%

Admission

 UCI NC State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 119,191 35,568
Admitted 25,212 16,779
Acceptance Rate 21.2% 47.2%
Enrolled % 22.5% 33.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.75 3.83
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Very High Exceptional
Applicant Competition Very High Low
ACT Range 26/33 28/33
SAT Range 1230/1430 1280/1460
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Nov 30, 2024 Jan 15, 2025

Academics

 UCI NC State
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (23%)
  • Biology (16%)
  • Psychology (11%)
  • Business (8%)
  • Engineering (8%)
  • Engineering (22%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • Agriculture (9%)
  • Social Sciences (5%)

Outcomes

 UCI NC State
Graduation Rate 85% 72%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $61,800 $57,200
Making Student Loan Payments 76% 76%
Median Student Loan Debt $17,000 $20,782
Median Loan Payment $175 $214

Diversity

 UCI NC State
% Men 45% 51%
% Women 55% 49%
Racial Diversity Very High Low
HBCU No No
% White 15% 74%
% Black 2% 6%
% Hispanic 25% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 4%
% International 16% 4%
% Unknown Race 1% 2%

Students

 UCI NC State
% In-State 81% 83%
% Out-of-State 7% 14%

Campus

 UCI NC State
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

  • North Carolina State University at Raleigh is larger than than UCI based on total student enrollment (36,700 students vs. 35,937 students)

UCI vs. NC State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UCI or NC State?

  • University of California Irvine is 77% more expensive to attend than NC State for in-state tuition ($11,564.00 vs. $6,535.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 47.2% higher at UCI than North Carolina State University at Raleigh ($41,636.00 vs. $28,276.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of California Irvine than NC State ($14,033 vs. $14,852)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at North Carolina State University at Raleigh are 38.8% lower than costs at University of California Irvine ($12,748 vs. $17,699)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of California Irvine than North Carolina State University at Raleigh (80% vs. 71%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Irvine students is 89.6% larger than aid received North Carolina State University at Raleigh ($17,411 vs. $9,181)

UCI vs. NC State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at North Carolina State University at Raleigh (1264) is 89 points higher than at UCI (1175)
  • Incoming NC State students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (29) than students at UCI (27)
  • Accepted freshman NC State students have a 0.08 point higher average high school GPA (3.83) than students at UCI (3.75)
  • NC State has a higher acceptance rate (47.2%) than UCI (21.2%)

UCI vs. NC State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UCI or NC State? 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 NC State and UCI.

  • The graduation rate at UCI is higher than North Carolina State University at Raleigh (85% vs. 72%)
  • Graduates from University of California Irvine earn on average $4,600 more per year than NC State graduates after ten years. ($61,800 vs. $57,200)
  • University of California Irvine students graduate with a $3,782 lower median federal student loan debt than NC State graduates. ($17,000 vs. $20,782)
  • UCI graduates are paying $39 less per month on federal student loans than NC State graduates. ($175 vs. $214)
  • More UCI graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former NC State students, three years after graduation. (76% vs. 76%)

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