UNCW vs. CofC

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

UNCW CofC
Location Wilmington, NC Charleston, SC
Setting Midsize City Midsize City
Enrollment 17,843 10,885
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #377 #428
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uncw.edu cofc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

UNCW CofC
Tuition (In State) $4,443 $12,518
Tuition (Out of State) $19,063 $35,338
Room & Board $12,120 $12,986
Avg Net Price $18,709 $21,120
Avg Grant Aid $6,217 $9,499
% Receiving Grant Aid 56% 100%

Admission

UNCW CofC
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 16,860 22,020
Admitted 11,605 16,666
Acceptance Rate 68.8% 75.7%
Enrolled % 20.4% 13.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.56 3.94
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Difficult Difficult
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 24/29 24/30
SAT Range 1220/1370 1130/1300
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

UNCW CofC
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (22%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Business (23%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Biology (9%)

Outcomes

UNCW CofC
Graduation Rate 67% 63%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $44,700 $46,200
Making Student Loan Payments 64% 60%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,500 $21,500
Median Loan Payment $211 $222

Diversity

UNCW CofC
% Men 34% 32%
% Women 66% 68%
Racial Diversity Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 78% 80%
% Black 5% 7%
% Hispanic 7% 5%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 1% 1%
% Unknown Race 3% 1%

Students

UNCW CofC
% In-State 80% 44%
% Out-of-State 19% 54%

Campus

UNCW CofC
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 CofC based on total student enrollment (17,843 students vs. 10,885 students)

UNCW vs. CofC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UNCW or CofC?

  • College of Charleston is 181.7% more expensive to attend than UNCW for in-state tuition ($12,518.00 vs. $4,443.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 85.4% higher at CofC than University of North Carolina at Wilmington ($35,338.00 vs. $19,063.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of North Carolina at Wilmington than CofC ($18,709 vs. $21,120)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of North Carolina at Wilmington are 7.1% lower than costs at College of Charleston ($12,120 vs. $12,986)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at College of Charleston than University of North Carolina at Wilmington (100% vs. 56%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by College of Charleston students is 52.8% larger than aid received University of North Carolina at Wilmington ($9,499 vs. $6,217)

UNCW vs. CofC Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of North Carolina at Wilmington (1162) is 21 points higher than at CofC (1141)
  • Incoming CofC students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at UNCW (25)
  • Accepted freshman CofC students have a 0.38 point higher average high school GPA (3.94) than students at UNCW (3.56)
  • CofC has a higher acceptance rate (75.7%) than UNCW (68.8%)

UNCW vs. CofC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at UNCW is higher than College of Charleston (67% vs. 63%)
  • Graduates from College of Charleston earn on average $1,500 more per year than UNCW graduates after ten years. ($46,200 vs. $44,700)
  • University of North Carolina at Wilmington students graduate with a $1,000 lower median federal student loan debt than CofC graduates. ($20,500 vs. $21,500)
  • UNCW graduates are paying $11 less per month on federal student loans than CofC graduates. ($211 vs. $222)
  • More UNCW graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former CofC students, three years after graduation. (64% vs. 60%)

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