Kentucky vs. UNC Charlotte

Should I go to University of Kentucky or University of North Carolina at Charlotte? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Kentucky or UNC Charlotte 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. 

UNC Chapel Hill NC State UNCW Tennessee Louisville UNCG ECU ASU IU UC Auburn Alabama
University of Kentucky vs. University of North Carolina at Charlotte comparison
University of Kentucky University of North Carolina at Charlotte College 3 College 4
University of Kentucky University of North Carolina at Charlotte
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

Kentucky UNC Charlotte
Location Lexington, KY Charlotte, NC
Setting Large City Large City
Enrollment 31,547 29,551
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #408 #562
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uky.edu uncc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Kentucky UNC Charlotte
Tuition (In State) $11,496 $3,812
Tuition (Out of State) $30,913 $17,936
Room & Board $14,676 $12,896
Avg Net Price $18,693 $13,951
Avg Grant Aid $14,114 $7,907
% Receiving Grant Aid 94% 60%

Admission

Kentucky UNC Charlotte
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 22,109 21,355
Admitted 20,979 17,007
Acceptance Rate 94.9% 79.6%
Enrolled % 28.9% 24.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.59 3.57
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 21/28 20/27
SAT Range 1070/1290 1070/1290
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 15, 2025 Jun 1, 2025

Academics

Kentucky UNC Charlotte
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 20:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (19%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Engineering (8%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Business (21%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Engineering (7%)
  • Education (7%)
  • Psychology (7%)

Outcomes

Kentucky UNC Charlotte
Graduation Rate 59% 53%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $51,000 $48,600
Making Student Loan Payments 62% 61%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,750 $23,000
Median Loan Payment $235 $237

Diversity

Kentucky UNC Charlotte
% Men 40% 49%
% Women 60% 51%
Racial Diversity Low High
HBCU No No
% White 76% 60%
% Black 8% 17%
% Hispanic 4% 9%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 3% 2%
% Unknown Race 3% 3%

Students

Kentucky UNC Charlotte
% In-State 61% 89%
% Out-of-State 37% 8%

Campus

Kentucky UNC Charlotte
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • University of Kentucky is larger than than UNC Charlotte based on total student enrollment (31,547 students vs. 29,551 students)

Kentucky vs. UNC Charlotte Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Kentucky or UNC Charlotte?

  • University of Kentucky is 201.6% more expensive to attend than UNC Charlotte for in-state tuition ($11,496.00 vs. $3,812.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 72.4% higher at Kentucky than University of North Carolina at Charlotte ($30,913.00 vs. $17,936.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of North Carolina at Charlotte than Kentucky ($13,951 vs. $18,693)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of North Carolina at Charlotte are 13.8% lower than costs at University of Kentucky ($12,896 vs. $14,676)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Kentucky than University of North Carolina at Charlotte (94% vs. 60%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Kentucky students is 78.5% larger than aid received University of North Carolina at Charlotte ($14,114 vs. $7,907)

Kentucky vs. UNC Charlotte Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Kentucky (1143) is 50 points higher than at UNC Charlotte (1093)
  • Incoming Kentucky students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at UNC Charlotte (24)
  • Accepted freshman Kentucky students have a 0.02 point higher average high school GPA (3.59) than students at UNC Charlotte (3.57)
  • Kentucky has a higher acceptance rate (94.9%) than UNC Charlotte (79.6%)

Kentucky vs. UNC Charlotte Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Kentucky or UNC Charlotte? 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 UNC Charlotte and Kentucky.

  • The graduation rate at Kentucky is higher than University of North Carolina at Charlotte (59% vs. 53%)
  • Graduates from University of Kentucky earn on average $2,400 more per year than UNC Charlotte graduates after ten years. ($51,000 vs. $48,600)
  • University of Kentucky students graduate with a $250 lower median federal student loan debt than UNC Charlotte graduates. ($22,750 vs. $23,000)
  • Kentucky graduates are paying $2 less per month on federal student loans than UNC Charlotte graduates. ($235 vs. $237)
  • More Kentucky graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UNC Charlotte students, three years after graduation. (62% vs. 61%)

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