UCLA vs. NC State

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

 UCLA NC State
Location Los Angeles, CA Raleigh, NC
Setting Large City Large City
Enrollment 46,430 36,700
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #58 #123
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ucla.edu ncsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 UCLA NC State
Tuition (In State) $11,564 $6,535
Tuition (Out of State) $41,636 $28,276
Room & Board $17,231 $12,748
Avg Net Price $16,999 $14,852
Avg Grant Aid $21,766 $9,181
% Receiving Grant Aid 46% 71%

Admission

 UCLA NC State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 149,801 35,568
Admitted 12,845 16,779
Acceptance Rate 8.6% 47.2%
Enrolled % 50.3% 33.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.92 3.83
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Exceptional
Applicant Competition Extreme Low
ACT Range 29/35 28/33
SAT Range 1300/1530 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

 UCLA NC State
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (27%)
  • Biology (14%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Engineering (9%)
  • History (7%)
  • Engineering (22%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • Agriculture (9%)
  • Social Sciences (5%)

Outcomes

 UCLA NC State
Graduation Rate 90% 72%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $70,700 $57,200
Making Student Loan Payments 78% 76%
Median Student Loan Debt $16,300 $20,782
Median Loan Payment $168 $214

Diversity

 UCLA NC State
% Men 43% 51%
% Women 57% 49%
Racial Diversity Very High Low
HBCU No No
% White 27% 74%
% Black 3% 6%
% Hispanic 21% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 4%
% International 13% 4%
% Unknown Race 2% 2%

Students

 UCLA NC State
% In-State 77% 83%
% Out-of-State 15% 14%

Campus

 UCLA 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

  • University of California Los Angeles is larger than than NC State based on total student enrollment (46,430 students vs. 36,700 students)

UCLA vs. NC State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UCLA or NC State?

  • University of California Los Angeles 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 UCLA 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 North Carolina State University at Raleigh than UCLA ($14,852 vs. $16,999)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at North Carolina State University at Raleigh are 35.2% lower than costs at University of California Los Angeles ($12,748 vs. $17,231)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at North Carolina State University at Raleigh than University of California Los Angeles (71% vs. 46%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Los Angeles students is 137.1% larger than aid received North Carolina State University at Raleigh ($21,766 vs. $9,181)

UCLA vs. NC State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of California Los Angeles (1339) is 75 points higher than at NC State (1264)
  • Incoming UCLA students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (31) than students at NC State (29)
  • Accepted freshman UCLA students have a 0.09 point higher average high school GPA (3.92) than students at NC State (3.83)
  • NC State has a higher acceptance rate (47.2%) than UCLA (8.6%)

UCLA vs. NC State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UCLA 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 UCLA.

  • The graduation rate at UCLA is higher than North Carolina State University at Raleigh (90% vs. 72%)
  • Graduates from University of California Los Angeles earn on average $13,500 more per year than NC State graduates after ten years. ($70,700 vs. $57,200)
  • University of California Los Angeles students graduate with a $4,482 lower median federal student loan debt than NC State graduates. ($16,300 vs. $20,782)
  • UCLA graduates are paying $46 less per month on federal student loans than NC State graduates. ($168 vs. $214)
  • More UCLA graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former NC State students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 76%)

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