UNCW vs. BC

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

UNCW BC
Location Wilmington, NC Bridgewater, VA
Setting Midsize City Small Suburban
Enrollment 17,987 1,436
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #390 #603
Religious Affiliation - Church of Brethren - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uncw.edu bridgewater.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

UNCW BC
Tuition (In State) $4,443 $40,300
Tuition (Out of State) $20,111 $40,300
Room & Board $12,605 $14,370
Avg Net Price $18,606 $19,660
Avg Grant Aid $6,516 $36,350
% Receiving Grant Aid 54% 100%

Admission

UNCW BC
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 17,370 3,984
Admitted 12,856 3,618
Acceptance Rate 74% 90.8%
Enrolled % 21% 11.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.56 3.61
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Difficult
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 24/28 28/29
SAT Range 1220/1360 1070/1375
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 May 1, 2025

Academics

UNCW BC
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (22%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (13%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Work and Family Studies (8%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)

Outcomes

UNCW BC
Graduation Rate 67% 59%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $44,700 $43,100
Making Student Loan Payments 64% 77%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,500 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $211 $279

Diversity

UNCW BC
% Men 5% 1%
% Women 14% 2%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 78% 73%
% Black 5% 11%
% Hispanic 7% 5%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 5%
% International 1% 1%
% Unknown Race 3% 4%

Students

UNCW BC
% In-State 77% 69%
% Out-of-State 22% 25%

Campus

UNCW BC
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • University of North Carolina at Wilmington is larger than than BC based on total student enrollment (17,987 students vs. 1,436 students)

UNCW vs. BC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UNCW or BC?

  • Bridgewater College is 807% more expensive to attend than UNCW for in-state tuition ($40,300.00 vs. $4,443.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 100.4% higher at BC than University of North Carolina at Wilmington ($40,300.00 vs. $20,111.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of North Carolina at Wilmington than BC ($18,606 vs. $19,660)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of North Carolina at Wilmington are 14% lower than costs at Bridgewater College ($12,605 vs. $14,370)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Bridgewater College than University of North Carolina at Wilmington (100% vs. 54%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Bridgewater College students is 457.9% larger than aid received University of North Carolina at Wilmington ($36,350 vs. $6,516)

UNCW vs. BC Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of North Carolina at Wilmington (1162) is 128 points higher than at BC (1034)
  • Incoming UNCW students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at BC (24)
  • Accepted freshman BC students have a 0.05 point higher average high school GPA (3.61) than students at UNCW (3.56)
  • BC has a higher acceptance rate (90.8%) than UNCW (74%)

UNCW vs. BC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UNCW or BC? 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 BC and UNCW.

  • The graduation rate at UNCW is higher than Bridgewater College (67% vs. 59%)
  • Graduates from University of North Carolina at Wilmington earn on average $1,600 more per year than BC graduates after ten years. ($44,700 vs. $43,100)
  • University of North Carolina at Wilmington students graduate with a $6,500 lower median federal student loan debt than BC graduates. ($20,500 vs. $27,000)
  • UNCW graduates are paying $68 less per month on federal student loans than BC graduates. ($211 vs. $279)
  • More BC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UNCW students, three years after graduation. (77% vs. 64%)

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