UNC Charlotte vs. North Carolina Central University

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

UNC Charlotte North Carolina Central University
Location Charlotte, NC Durham, NC
Setting Large City Midsize City
Enrollment 29,551 7,553
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #562 #940
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uncc.edu nccu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

UNC Charlotte North Carolina Central University
Tuition (In State) $3,812 $3,728
Tuition (Out of State) $17,936 $16,764
Room & Board $12,896 $11,864
Avg Net Price $13,951 $13,708
Avg Grant Aid $7,907 $16,168
% Receiving Grant Aid 60% 96%

Admission

UNC Charlotte North Carolina Central University
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 21,355 8,423
Admitted 17,007 7,107
Acceptance Rate 79.6% 84.4%
Enrolled % 24.4% 15.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.57 3.27
Typical High School Grades B+ B
Admissions Standards Challenging Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 20/27 15/23
SAT Range 1070/1290 810/1130
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 Jun 1, 2025 Aug 1, 2025

Academics

UNC Charlotte North Carolina Central University
Student to Faculty Ratio 20:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (21%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Engineering (7%)
  • Education (7%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Work and Family Studies (11%)
  • Health Professions (10%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (9%)
  • Psychology (8%)

Outcomes

UNC Charlotte North Carolina Central University
Graduation Rate 53% 38%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $48,600 $35,200
Making Student Loan Payments 61% 23%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,000 $31,000
Median Loan Payment $237 $320

Diversity

UNC Charlotte North Carolina Central University
% Men 49% 30%
% Women 51% 70%
Racial Diversity High Very Low
HBCU No Yes
% White 60% 6%
% Black 17% 81%
% Hispanic 9% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 4%
% International 2% 0%
% Unknown Race 3% 2%

Students

UNC Charlotte North Carolina Central University
% In-State 89% 65%
% Out-of-State 8% 29%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of North Carolina at Charlotte is larger than than North Carolina Central University based on total student enrollment (29,551 students vs. 7,553 students)

UNC Charlotte vs. North Carolina Central University Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UNC Charlotte or North Carolina Central University?

  • University of North Carolina at Charlotte is 2.3% more expensive to attend than North Carolina Central University for in-state tuition ($3,812.00 vs. $3,728.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 7% higher at UNC Charlotte than North Carolina Central University ($17,936.00 vs. $16,764.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at North Carolina Central University than UNC Charlotte ($13,708 vs. $13,951)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at North Carolina Central University are 8.7% lower than costs at University of North Carolina at Charlotte ($11,864 vs. $12,896)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at North Carolina Central University than University of North Carolina at Charlotte (96% vs. 60%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by North Carolina Central University students is 104.5% larger than aid received University of North Carolina at Charlotte ($16,168 vs. $7,907)

UNC Charlotte vs. North Carolina Central University Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of North Carolina at Charlotte (1093) is 214 points higher than at North Carolina Central University (879)
  • Incoming UNC Charlotte students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at North Carolina Central University (19)
  • Accepted freshman UNC Charlotte students have a 0.3 point higher average high school GPA (3.57) than students at North Carolina Central University (3.27)
  • North Carolina Central University has a higher acceptance rate (84.4%) than UNC Charlotte (79.6%)

UNC Charlotte vs. North Carolina Central University Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UNC Charlotte or North Carolina Central University? 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 North Carolina Central University and UNC Charlotte.

  • The graduation rate at UNC Charlotte is higher than North Carolina Central University (53% vs. 38%)
  • Graduates from University of North Carolina at Charlotte earn on average $13,400 more per year than North Carolina Central University graduates after ten years. ($48,600 vs. $35,200)
  • University of North Carolina at Charlotte students graduate with a $8,000 lower median federal student loan debt than North Carolina Central University graduates. ($23,000 vs. $31,000)
  • UNC Charlotte graduates are paying $83 less per month on federal student loans than North Carolina Central University graduates. ($237 vs. $320)
  • More UNC Charlotte graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former North Carolina Central University students, three years after graduation. (61% vs. 23%)

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