UNCW vs. Virginia Tech

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

UNCW Virginia Tech
Location Wilmington, NC Blacksburg, VA
Setting Midsize City Small City
Enrollment 17,843 38,170
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #377 #142
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uncw.edu vt.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

UNCW Virginia Tech
Tuition (In State) $4,443 $12,104
Tuition (Out of State) $19,063 $31,754
Room & Board $12,120 $12,680
Avg Net Price $18,709 $19,301
Avg Grant Aid $6,217 $7,649
% Receiving Grant Aid 56% 57%

Admission

UNCW Virginia Tech
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 16,860 45,321
Admitted 11,605 25,825
Acceptance Rate 68.8% 57%
Enrolled % 20.4% 27.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.56 3.97
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Difficult Very High
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 24/29 27/32
SAT Range 1220/1370 1240/1430
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 Virginia Tech
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (22%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Engineering (19%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Work and Family Studies (6%)

Outcomes

UNCW Virginia Tech
Graduation Rate 67% 82%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $44,700 $65,000
Making Student Loan Payments 64% 81%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,500 $23,966
Median Loan Payment $211 $247

Diversity

UNCW Virginia Tech
% Men 34% 57%
% Women 66% 43%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 78% 68%
% Black 5% 4%
% Hispanic 7% 5%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 1% 6%
% Unknown Race 3% 3%

Students

UNCW Virginia Tech
% In-State 80% 64%
% Out-of-State 19% 32%

Campus

UNCW Virginia Tech
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

  • Virginia Tech is larger than than UNCW based on total student enrollment (38,170 students vs. 17,843 students)

UNCW vs. Virginia Tech Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UNCW or Virginia Tech?

  • Virginia Tech is 172.4% more expensive to attend than UNCW for in-state tuition ($12,104.00 vs. $4,443.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 66.6% higher at Virginia Tech than University of North Carolina at Wilmington ($31,754.00 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 Virginia Tech ($18,709 vs. $19,301)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of North Carolina at Wilmington are 4.6% lower than costs at Virginia Tech ($12,120 vs. $12,680)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Virginia Tech than University of North Carolina at Wilmington (57% vs. 56%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Virginia Tech students is 23% larger than aid received University of North Carolina at Wilmington ($7,649 vs. $6,217)

UNCW vs. Virginia Tech Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Virginia Tech (1210) is 48 points higher than at UNCW (1162)
  • Accepted freshman Virginia Tech students have a 0.41 point higher average high school GPA (3.97) than students at UNCW (3.56)
  • UNCW has a higher acceptance rate (68.8%) than Virginia Tech (57%)

UNCW vs. Virginia Tech Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UNCW or Virginia Tech? 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 Virginia Tech and UNCW.

  • The graduation rate at Virginia Tech is higher than University of North Carolina at Wilmington (82% vs. 67%)
  • Graduates from Virginia Tech earn on average $20,300 more per year than UNCW graduates after ten years. ($65,000 vs. $44,700)
  • University of North Carolina at Wilmington students graduate with a $3,466 lower median federal student loan debt than Virginia Tech graduates. ($20,500 vs. $23,966)
  • UNCW graduates are paying $36 less per month on federal student loans than Virginia Tech graduates. ($211 vs. $247)
  • More Virginia Tech graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UNCW students, three years after graduation. (81% vs. 64%)

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