UMBC vs. NC State

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

 UMBC NC State
Location Baltimore, MD Raleigh, NC
Setting Large Suburban Large City
Enrollment 13,991 36,700
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #303 #123
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website umbc.edu ncsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 UMBC NC State
Tuition (In State) $9,056 $6,535
Tuition (Out of State) $25,820 $28,276
Room & Board $13,378 $12,748
Avg Net Price $17,692 $14,852
Avg Grant Aid $8,889 $9,181
% Receiving Grant Aid 92% 71%

Admission

 UMBC NC State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 11,534 35,568
Admitted 9,291 16,779
Acceptance Rate 80.6% 47.2%
Enrolled % 23.1% 33.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.97 3.83
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Difficult Exceptional
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 23/29 28/33
SAT Range 1210/1390 1280/1460
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, 2025 Jan 15, 2025

Academics

 UMBC NC State
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Computer and Information Sciences (17%)
  • Social Sciences (17%)
  • Biology (13%)
  • Psychology (12%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Engineering (22%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • Agriculture (9%)
  • Social Sciences (5%)

Outcomes

 UMBC NC State
Graduation Rate 57% 72%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $59,500 $57,200
Making Student Loan Payments 67% 76%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,197 $20,782
Median Loan Payment $219 $214

Diversity

 UMBC NC State
% Men 53% 51%
% Women 47% 49%
Racial Diversity Very High Low
HBCU No No
% White 44% 74%
% Black 17% 6%
% Hispanic 6% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 4%
% International 4% 4%
% Unknown Race 4% 2%

Students

 UMBC NC State
% In-State 90% 83%
% Out-of-State 5% 14%

Campus

 UMBC 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 UMBC based on total student enrollment (36,700 students vs. 13,991 students)

UMBC vs. NC State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UMBC or NC State?

  • University of Maryland Baltimore County is 38.6% more expensive to attend than NC State for in-state tuition ($9,056.00 vs. $6,535.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 9.5% higher at NC State than University of Maryland Baltimore County ($28,276.00 vs. $25,820.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at North Carolina State University at Raleigh than UMBC ($14,852 vs. $17,692)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at North Carolina State University at Raleigh are 4.9% lower than costs at University of Maryland Baltimore County ($12,748 vs. $13,378)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Maryland Baltimore County than North Carolina State University at Raleigh (92% vs. 71%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by North Carolina State University at Raleigh students is 3.3% larger than aid received University of Maryland Baltimore County ($9,181 vs. $8,889)

UMBC vs. NC State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at North Carolina State University at Raleigh (1264) is 55 points higher than at UMBC (1209)
  • Incoming NC State students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (29) than students at UMBC (27)
  • Accepted freshman UMBC students have a 0.14 point higher average high school GPA (3.97) than students at NC State (3.83)
  • UMBC has a higher acceptance rate (80.6%) than NC State (47.2%)

UMBC vs. NC State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UMBC 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 UMBC.

  • The graduation rate at NC State is higher than University of Maryland Baltimore County (72% vs. 57%)
  • Graduates from University of Maryland Baltimore County earn on average $2,300 more per year than NC State graduates after ten years. ($59,500 vs. $57,200)
  • North Carolina State University at Raleigh students graduate with a $415 lower median federal student loan debt than UMBC graduates. ($20,782 vs. $21,197)
  • NC State graduates are paying $5 less per month on federal student loans than UMBC graduates. ($214 vs. $219)
  • More NC State graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UMBC students, three years after graduation. (76% vs. 67%)

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