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Virginia Tech UD NC State Rutgers UVA UNC Charlotte UConn Pitt Duke UMass Michigan UNCW| University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | Penn State Main Campus | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
UNC Chapel Hill | Penn State | ||
| Location | Chapel Hill, NC | University Park, PA | ||
| Setting | Small City | Small City | ||
| Enrollment | 32,234 | 50,399 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #60 | #171 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | unc.edu | psu.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
UNC Chapel Hill | Penn State | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $7,019 | $19,672 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $37,360 | $39,626 | ||
| Room & Board | $13,016 | $13,030 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $11,140 | $27,450 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $15,365 | $11,577 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 38% | 36% |
Admission |
UNC Chapel Hill | Penn State | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 57,902 | 85,956 | ||
| Admitted | 10,850 | 46,605 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 18.7% | 54.2% | ||
| Enrolled % | 43.3% | 19.4% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.83 | - | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | - | ||
| Admissions Standards | Exceptional | Very High | ||
| Applicant Competition | Very High | Low | ||
| ACT Range | 30/34 | 27/32 | ||
| SAT Range | 1370/1530 | 1220/1400 | ||
| 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, 2026 |
Academics |
UNC Chapel Hill | Penn State | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 15:1 | 15:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
UNC Chapel Hill | Penn State | ||
| Graduation Rate | 89% | 87% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $66,100 | $55,300 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 82% | 69% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $16,479 | $26,818 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $170 | $277 |
Diversity |
UNC Chapel Hill | Penn State | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 14% | 8% | ||
| % Women | 22% | 8% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Medium | Medium | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 64% | 69% | ||
| % Black | 8% | 4% | ||
| % Hispanic | 8% | 6% | ||
| % Native American | 1% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 4% | 3% | ||
| % International | 2% | 11% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 3% | 2% |
Students |
UNC Chapel Hill | Penn State | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 79% | 51% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 15% | 40% | ||
Campus |
UNC Chapel Hill | Penn State | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | Yes | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | Yes | Yes | ||
| Daycare Facility | No | Yes | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Penn State Main Campus is larger than than UNC Chapel Hill based on total student enrollment (50,399 students vs. 32,234 students)
UNC Chapel Hill vs. Penn State Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, UNC Chapel Hill or Penn State?
- Penn State Main Campus is 180.3% more expensive to attend than UNC Chapel Hill for in-state tuition ($19,672.00 vs. $7,019.00)
- Out of state tuition is 6.1% higher at Penn State than University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill ($39,626.00 vs. $37,360.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill than Penn State ($11,140 vs. $27,450)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill are 0.1% lower than costs at Penn State Main Campus ($13,016 vs. $13,030)
- More students receive financial grant aid at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill than Penn State Main Campus (38% vs. 36%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill students is 32.7% larger than aid received Penn State Main Campus ($15,365 vs. $11,577)
UNC Chapel Hill vs. Penn State Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, UNC Chapel Hill or Penn State? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Penn State or UNC Chapel Hill .
- The average SAT score at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (1343) is 141 points higher than at Penn State (1202)
- Incoming UNC Chapel Hill students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (31) than students at Penn State (27)
- Penn State has a higher acceptance rate (54.2%) than UNC Chapel Hill (18.7%)
UNC Chapel Hill vs. Penn State Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, UNC Chapel Hill or Penn 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 Penn State and UNC Chapel Hill.
- The graduation rate at UNC Chapel Hill is higher than Penn State Main Campus (89% vs. 87%)
- Graduates from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill earn on average $10,800 more per year than Penn State graduates after ten years. ($66,100 vs. $55,300)
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill students graduate with a $10,339 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State graduates. ($16,479 vs. $26,818)
- UNC Chapel Hill graduates are paying $107 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State graduates. ($170 vs. $277)
- More UNC Chapel Hill graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State students, three years after graduation. (82% vs. 69%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/