UNCSA vs. CNU

Should I go to University of North Carolina School of the Arts or Christopher Newport University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if UNCSA or CNU 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 School of the Arts vs. Christopher Newport University comparison
University of North Carolina School of the Arts Christopher Newport University College 3 College 4
University of North Carolina School of the Arts Christopher Newport University
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Overview

UNCSA CNU
Location Winston-Salem, NC Newport News, VA
Setting Midsize City Midsize City
Enrollment 1,104 4,559
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #291 #390
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uncsa.edu cnu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

UNCSA CNU
Tuition (In State) $6,497 $9,375
Tuition (Out of State) $23,731 $22,613
Room & Board $12,902 $11,990
Avg Net Price $11,251 $23,287
Avg Grant Aid $10,868 $8,022
% Receiving Grant Aid 69% 66%

Admission

UNCSA CNU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,139 7,428
Admitted 362 6,340
Acceptance Rate 31.8% 85.4%
Enrolled % 58% 18.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.75 3.79
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Difficult Challenging
Applicant Competition High
ACT Range 22/30 22/29
SAT Range 1115/1350 1100/1290
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 Mar 15, 2025 Feb 1, 2025

Academics

UNCSA CNU
Student to Faculty Ratio 6:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Visual and Performing Arts (100%)
  • Social Sciences (15%)
  • Communication (13%)
  • Biology (12%)
  • Business (11%)
  • Psychology (11%)

Outcomes

UNCSA CNU
Graduation Rate 58% 63%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $39,100 $47,100
Making Student Loan Payments 56% 78%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $279 $258

Diversity

UNCSA CNU
% Men 41% 46%
% Women 59% 54%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 72% 74%
% Black 9% 8%
% Hispanic 8% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 5%
% International 2% 0%
% Unknown Race 2% 5%

Students

UNCSA CNU
% In-State 43% 91%
% Out-of-State 52% 6%

Campus

UNCSA CNU
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

  • Christopher Newport University is larger than than UNCSA based on total student enrollment (4,559 students vs. 1,104 students)

UNCSA vs. CNU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UNCSA or CNU?

  • Christopher Newport University is 44.3% more expensive to attend than UNCSA for in-state tuition ($9,375.00 vs. $6,497.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 4.9% higher at UNCSA than Christopher Newport University ($23,731.00 vs. $22,613.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of North Carolina School of the Arts than CNU ($11,251 vs. $23,287)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Christopher Newport University are 7.6% lower than costs at University of North Carolina School of the Arts ($11,990 vs. $12,902)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of North Carolina School of the Arts than Christopher Newport University (69% vs. 66%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of North Carolina School of the Arts students is 35.5% larger than aid received Christopher Newport University ($10,868 vs. $8,022)

UNCSA vs. CNU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Christopher Newport University (1155) is 47 points higher than at UNCSA (1108)
  • Incoming CNU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at UNCSA (24)
  • Accepted freshman CNU students have a 0.04 point higher average high school GPA (3.79) than students at UNCSA (3.75)
  • CNU has a higher acceptance rate (85.4%) than UNCSA (31.8%)

UNCSA vs. CNU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UNCSA or CNU? 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 CNU and UNCSA.

  • The graduation rate at CNU is higher than University of North Carolina School of the Arts (63% vs. 58%)
  • Graduates from Christopher Newport University earn on average $8,000 more per year than UNCSA graduates after ten years. ($47,100 vs. $39,100)
  • Christopher Newport University students graduate with a $2,000 lower median federal student loan debt than UNCSA graduates. ($25,000 vs. $27,000)
  • CNU graduates are paying $21 less per month on federal student loans than UNCSA graduates. ($258 vs. $279)
  • More CNU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UNCSA students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 56%)

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