UNF vs. UNCW

Should I go to University of North Florida or University of North Carolina at Wilmington? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if UNF or UNCW 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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ASU UNC Charlotte UNC Chapel Hill ECU UCF UNCG FAU USF Main Campus NC State FGCU Florida State The University of West Florida
University of North Florida vs. University of North Carolina at Wilmington comparison
University of North Florida University of North Carolina at Wilmington College 3 College 4
University of North Florida University of North Carolina at Wilmington
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Overview

 UNF UNCW
Location Jacksonville, FL Wilmington, NC
Setting Large City Midsize City
Enrollment 16,453 17,987
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #599 #390
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website unf.edu uncw.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 UNF UNCW
Tuition (In State) $4,281 $4,443
Tuition (Out of State) $17,999 $20,111
Room & Board $10,910 $12,605
Avg Net Price $10,628 $18,606
Avg Grant Aid $9,162 $6,516
% Receiving Grant Aid 75% 54%

Admission

 UNF UNCW
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 21,568 17,370
Admitted 13,430 12,856
Acceptance Rate 62.3% 74%
Enrolled % 21% 21%
Avg High School GPA 3.89 3.56
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Moderate Difficult
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 20/26 24/28
SAT Range 990/1210 1220/1360
Submit Test Scores Required to be considered for admission Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Feb 1, 2026

Academics

 UNF UNCW
Student to Faculty Ratio 19:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (19%)
  • Health Professions (12%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (10%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Business (22%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Biology (8%)

Outcomes

 UNF UNCW
Graduation Rate 50% 67%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $47,200 $44,700
Making Student Loan Payments 60% 64%
Median Student Loan Debt $16,000 $20,500
Median Loan Payment $165 $211

Diversity

 UNF UNCW
% Men 4% 5%
% Women 10% 14%
Racial Diversity Medium Low
HBCU No No
% White 69% 78%
% Black 9% 5%
% Hispanic 10% 7%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 3%
% International 1% 1%
% Unknown Race 0% 3%

Students

 UNF UNCW
% In-State 92% 77%
% Out-of-State 7% 22%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of North Carolina at Wilmington is larger than than UNF based on total student enrollment (17,987 students vs. 16,453 students)

UNF vs. UNCW Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UNF or UNCW?

  • University of North Carolina at Wilmington is 3.8% more expensive to attend than UNF for in-state tuition ($4,443.00 vs. $4,281.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 11.7% higher at UNCW than University of North Florida ($20,111.00 vs. $17,999.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of North Florida than UNCW ($10,628 vs. $18,606)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of North Florida are 15.5% lower than costs at University of North Carolina at Wilmington ($10,910 vs. $12,605)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of North Florida than University of North Carolina at Wilmington (75% vs. 54%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of North Florida students is 40.6% larger than aid received University of North Carolina at Wilmington ($9,162 vs. $6,516)

UNF vs. UNCW Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of North Carolina at Wilmington (1162) is 22 points higher than at UNF (1140)
  • Incoming UNF students have at the same average ACT score (25) as students at UNCW (25)
  • Accepted freshman UNF students have a 0.33 point higher average high school GPA (3.89) than students at UNCW (3.56)
  • UNCW has a higher acceptance rate (74%) than UNF (62.3%)

UNF vs. UNCW Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at UNCW is higher than University of North Florida (67% vs. 50%)
  • Graduates from University of North Florida earn on average $2,500 more per year than UNCW graduates after ten years. ($47,200 vs. $44,700)
  • University of North Florida students graduate with a $4,500 lower median federal student loan debt than UNCW graduates. ($16,000 vs. $20,500)
  • UNF graduates are paying $46 less per month on federal student loans than UNCW graduates. ($165 vs. $211)
  • More UNCW graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UNF 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/