UNC Chapel Hill vs. CNU

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

UNC Chapel Hill CNU
Location Chapel Hill, NC Newport News, VA
Setting Small City Midsize City
Enrollment 31,705 4,559
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #64 #390
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website unc.edu cnu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

UNC Chapel Hill CNU
Tuition (In State) $7,019 $9,375
Tuition (Out of State) $35,580 $22,613
Room & Board $12,254 $11,990
Avg Net Price $10,614 $23,287
Avg Grant Aid $18,066 $8,022
% Receiving Grant Aid 40% 66%

Admission

UNC Chapel Hill CNU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 56,341 7,428
Admitted 9,639 6,340
Acceptance Rate 17.1% 85.4%
Enrolled % 46% 18.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.83 3.79
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Exceptional Challenging
Applicant Competition Very High
ACT Range 30/34 22/29
SAT Range 1350/1530 1100/1290
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 Jan 15, 2025 Feb 1, 2025

Academics

UNC Chapel Hill CNU
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (17%)
  • Communication (11%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Business (8%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Social Sciences (15%)
  • Communication (13%)
  • Biology (12%)
  • Business (11%)
  • Psychology (11%)

Outcomes

UNC Chapel Hill CNU
Graduation Rate 89% 63%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $66,100 $47,100
Making Student Loan Payments 82% 78%
Median Student Loan Debt $16,479 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $170 $258

Diversity

UNC Chapel Hill CNU
% Men 40% 46%
% Women 60% 54%
Racial Diversity Medium Low
HBCU No No
% White 64% 74%
% Black 8% 8%
% Hispanic 8% 5%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 5%
% International 2% 0%
% Unknown Race 3% 5%

Students

UNC Chapel Hill CNU
% In-State 83% 91%
% Out-of-State 12% 6%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is larger than than CNU based on total student enrollment (31,705 students vs. 4,559 students)

UNC Chapel Hill vs. CNU Cost Comparison

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

  • Christopher Newport University is 33.6% more expensive to attend than UNC Chapel Hill for in-state tuition ($9,375.00 vs. $7,019.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 57.3% higher at UNC Chapel Hill than Christopher Newport University ($35,580.00 vs. $22,613.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill than CNU ($10,614 vs. $23,287)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Christopher Newport University are 2.2% lower than costs at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill ($11,990 vs. $12,254)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Christopher Newport University than University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (66% vs. 40%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill students is 125.2% larger than aid received Christopher Newport University ($18,066 vs. $8,022)

UNC Chapel Hill vs. CNU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (1343) is 188 points higher than at CNU (1155)
  • Incoming UNC Chapel Hill students have a 6 point higher average ACT score (31) than students at CNU (25)
  • Accepted freshman UNC Chapel Hill students have a 0.04 point higher average high school GPA (3.83) than students at CNU (3.79)
  • CNU has a higher acceptance rate (85.4%) than UNC Chapel Hill (17.1%)

UNC Chapel Hill vs. CNU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at UNC Chapel Hill is higher than Christopher Newport University (89% vs. 63%)
  • Graduates from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill earn on average $19,000 more per year than CNU graduates after ten years. ($66,100 vs. $47,100)
  • University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill students graduate with a $8,521 lower median federal student loan debt than CNU graduates. ($16,479 vs. $25,000)
  • UNC Chapel Hill graduates are paying $88 less per month on federal student loans than CNU graduates. ($170 vs. $258)
  • More UNC Chapel Hill graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former CNU students, three years after graduation. (82% vs. 78%)

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