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ASU UC Riverside UNC Charlotte UCSB UNC Chapel Hill UC Davis Cal Poly ECU San Jose State UC Merced San Diego State UCI| University of California Santa Cruz | University of North Carolina at Wilmington | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
UCSC | UNCW | ||
| Location | Santa Cruz, CA | Wilmington, NC | ||
| Setting | Small City | Midsize City | ||
| Enrollment | 19,478 | 17,843 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #222 | #377 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | ucsc.edu | uncw.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
UCSC | UNCW | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $11,564 | $4,443 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $41,636 | $19,063 | ||
| Room & Board | $18,185 | $12,120 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $17,975 | $18,709 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $21,202 | $6,217 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 68% | 56% |
Admission |
UCSC | UNCW | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 65,912 | 16,860 | ||
| Admitted | 30,926 | 11,605 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 46.9% | 68.8% | ||
| Enrolled % | 12.5% | 20.4% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.63 | 3.56 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Very High | Difficult | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | Low | ||
| ACT Range | 25/33 | 24/29 | ||
| SAT Range | 1160/1360 | 1220/1370 | ||
| 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 | Feb 1, 2025 |
Academics |
UCSC | UNCW | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 23:1 | 17:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
UCSC | UNCW | ||
| Graduation Rate | 73% | 67% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $50,400 | $44,700 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 74% | 64% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $19,959 | $20,500 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $206 | $211 |
Diversity |
UCSC | UNCW | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 50% | 34% | ||
| % Women | 50% | 66% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | Low | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 33% | 78% | ||
| % Black | 2% | 5% | ||
| % Hispanic | 31% | 7% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 1% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 7% | 3% | ||
| % International | 4% | 1% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 2% | 3% |
Students |
UCSC | UNCW | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 90% | 80% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 7% | 19% | ||
Campus |
UCSC | 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 of California Santa Cruz is larger than than UNCW based on total student enrollment (19,478 students vs. 17,843 students)
UCSC vs. UNCW Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, UCSC or UNCW?
- University of California Santa Cruz is 160.3% more expensive to attend than UNCW for in-state tuition ($11,564.00 vs. $4,443.00)
- Out of state tuition is 118.4% higher at UCSC than University of North Carolina at Wilmington ($41,636.00 vs. $19,063.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of California Santa Cruz than UNCW ($17,975 vs. $18,709)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of North Carolina at Wilmington are 50% lower than costs at University of California Santa Cruz ($12,120 vs. $18,185)
- More students receive financial grant aid at University of California Santa Cruz than University of North Carolina at Wilmington (68% vs. 56%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Santa Cruz students is 241% larger than aid received University of North Carolina at Wilmington ($21,202 vs. $6,217)
UCSC vs. UNCW Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, UCSC or UNCW? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between UNCW or UCSC .
- The average SAT score at University of California Santa Cruz (1201) is 39 points higher than at UNCW (1162)
- Incoming UCSC students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (28) than students at UNCW (25)
- Accepted freshman UCSC students have a 0.07 point higher average high school GPA (3.63) than students at UNCW (3.56)
- UNCW has a higher acceptance rate (68.8%) than UCSC (46.9%)
UCSC vs. UNCW Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, UCSC 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 UCSC.
- The graduation rate at UCSC is higher than University of North Carolina at Wilmington (73% vs. 67%)
- Graduates from University of California Santa Cruz earn on average $5,700 more per year than UNCW graduates after ten years. ($50,400 vs. $44,700)
- University of California Santa Cruz students graduate with a $541 lower median federal student loan debt than UNCW graduates. ($19,959 vs. $20,500)
- UCSC graduates are paying $5 less per month on federal student loans than UNCW graduates. ($206 vs. $211)
- More UCSC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UNCW students, three years after graduation. (74% vs. 64%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/