UMBC vs. UNC Chapel Hill

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

UMBC UNC Chapel Hill
Location Baltimore, MD Chapel Hill, NC
Setting Large Suburban Small City
Enrollment 13,991 31,705
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #303 #64
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website umbc.edu unc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

UMBC UNC Chapel Hill
Tuition (In State) $9,056 $7,019
Tuition (Out of State) $25,820 $35,580
Room & Board $13,378 $12,254
Avg Net Price $17,692 $10,614
Avg Grant Aid $8,889 $18,066
% Receiving Grant Aid 92% 40%

Admission

UMBC UNC Chapel Hill
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 11,534 56,341
Admitted 9,291 9,639
Acceptance Rate 80.6% 17.1%
Enrolled % 23.1% 46%
Avg High School GPA 3.97 3.83
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Difficult Exceptional
Applicant Competition Very High
ACT Range 23/29 30/34
SAT Range 1210/1390 1350/1530
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 UNC Chapel Hill
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Computer and Information Sciences (17%)
  • Social Sciences (17%)
  • Biology (13%)
  • Psychology (12%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Social Sciences (17%)
  • Communication (11%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Business (8%)
  • Psychology (8%)

Outcomes

UMBC UNC Chapel Hill
Graduation Rate 57% 89%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $59,500 $66,100
Making Student Loan Payments 67% 82%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,197 $16,479
Median Loan Payment $219 $170

Diversity

UMBC UNC Chapel Hill
% Men 53% 40%
% Women 47% 60%
Racial Diversity Very High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 44% 64%
% Black 17% 8%
% Hispanic 6% 8%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 4%
% International 4% 2%
% Unknown Race 4% 3%

Students

UMBC UNC Chapel Hill
% In-State 90% 83%
% Out-of-State 5% 12%

Campus

UMBC UNC Chapel Hill
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes
Daycare Facility Yes No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is larger than than UMBC based on total student enrollment (31,705 students vs. 13,991 students)

UMBC vs. UNC Chapel Hill Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UMBC or UNC Chapel Hill?

  • University of Maryland Baltimore County is 29% more expensive to attend than UNC Chapel Hill for in-state tuition ($9,056.00 vs. $7,019.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 37.8% higher at UNC Chapel Hill than University of Maryland Baltimore County ($35,580.00 vs. $25,820.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill than UMBC ($10,614 vs. $17,692)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill are 9.2% lower than costs at University of Maryland Baltimore County ($12,254 vs. $13,378)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Maryland Baltimore County than University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (92% vs. 40%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill students is 103.2% larger than aid received University of Maryland Baltimore County ($18,066 vs. $8,889)

UMBC vs. UNC Chapel Hill Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (1343) is 134 points higher than at UMBC (1209)
  • Incoming UNC Chapel Hill students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (31) than students at UMBC (27)
  • Accepted freshman UMBC students have a 0.14 point higher average high school GPA (3.97) than students at UNC Chapel Hill (3.83)
  • UMBC has a higher acceptance rate (80.6%) than UNC Chapel Hill (17.1%)

UMBC vs. UNC Chapel Hill Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UMBC or UNC Chapel Hill? 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 Chapel Hill and UMBC.

  • The graduation rate at UNC Chapel Hill is higher than University of Maryland Baltimore County (89% vs. 57%)
  • Graduates from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill earn on average $6,600 more per year than UMBC graduates after ten years. ($66,100 vs. $59,500)
  • University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill students graduate with a $4,718 lower median federal student loan debt than UMBC graduates. ($16,479 vs. $21,197)
  • UNC Chapel Hill graduates are paying $49 less per month on federal student loans than UMBC graduates. ($170 vs. $219)
  • More UNC Chapel Hill graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UMBC students, three years after graduation. (82% vs. 67%)

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