UC Davis vs University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC)

Envision yourself immersed in the vibrant college towns of Davis, California, and Chapel Hill, North Carolina, home to two esteemed universities: UC Davis and UNC-Chapel Hill. While both institutions share a commitment to academic excellence, they offer distinct experiences. UC Davis boasts a higher acceptance rate, making it a more accessible option, while UNC-Chapel Hill's lower acceptance rate indicates a highly selective admissions process. Explore the nuances of each university's popular majors, student body demographics, and graduation rates, meticulously presented in the comparison table below. Discover which university aligns best with your academic aspirations, personal preferences, and future goals.
University of California-Davis logo

University of California-Davis

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill logo

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Overview

Location Davis, California Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Campus setting Suburb: Small City: Small
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Public Public
Calendar system Quarter Semester
Degrees offered Undergraduate and Graduate Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate 91.0% 97.0%
Common app member No Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 48.8% 20.4%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $70

Graduate: $120
Undergraduate: $85

Graduate: $95
SAT range N/A 1140 - 1380
ACT range N/A 22 - 27
Students submitting SAT score 2.0%
Students submitting ACT score 12.0%
Total number of applicants 87,120 50,729
Total number of admissions given out 42,475 10,348
Admitted students who chose to enroll 7,482 4,690
Yield rate 17.6% 45.3%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Required Required
Recommendation letters Not required Required
High school transcript Not required Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Required Required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price
In state: $32,584

Out of state: $62,338
In state: $24,770

Out of state: $52,633
Average net price $16,640 $11,508
Tuition
In state: $11,442

Out of state: $41,196
In state: $7,019

Out of state: $34,882
Room & board $17,018
Room/dormitory: $6,878

Meal plan: $5,004
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Guaranteed tuition plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

59.0%
Average amount $17,628
42.0%
Average amount $16,076
Students receiving federal student loan 23.0%
Average amount $4,043
17.0%
Average amount $4,244
Students taking out private loans 11.0%
Average amount $3,360
3.0%
Average amount $14,032

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 31,657
Men 39.8% Women 60.2%
19,845
Men 39.6% Women 60.4%
Graduate students 8,393
Men 43.8% Women 56.2%
11,796
Men 41.4% Women 58.6%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Moderate
Low
Out-of-state students 7.5% 16.2%
International students 17.0% 6.8%
Campus local/setting Suburb: Small City: Small
Dormitory capacity 11,142 9,984
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from California Washington Illinois Texas Hawaii North Carolina Georgia Maryland New York Pennsylvania

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Biological and Biomedical Sciences
  • Business
  • Agriculture
  • Engineering
  • Family and Consumer Sciences
  • Health Professions
  • Business
  • Social Sciences
  • Public Administration and Social Service
  • Multidisciplinary Studies
Students to faculty ratio 21:1 15:1
Institutional accreditation Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges

Outcome

Graduation rate 86.9% 90.5%
Dropout rate 11.8% 3.7%
Transferred out N/A 5.4%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences, Other (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $121,903
  • Year 2: $135,393
  • Year 3: $137,917
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $127,500
  • Year 2: $125,015
  • Year 3: $135,009
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $106,299
  • Year 2: $116,258
  • Year 3: $127,335
Computer and Information Sciences, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $76,488
  • Year 2: $81,609
  • Year 3: $103,694
Veterinary Biomedical and Clinical Sciences (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $80,669
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: $100,961
Educational Administration and Supervision (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: $112,976
  • Year 2: $98,186
  • Year 3: $99,585
Computer Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $81,487
  • Year 2: $82,440
  • Year 3: $98,364
Mechanical Engineering (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $87,604
  • Year 3: $94,032
Engineering, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $74,487
  • Year 2: $70,370
  • Year 3: $89,594
Law (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $73,514
  • Year 2: $74,262
  • Year 3: $87,586
Advanced/Graduate Dentistry and Oral Sciences (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $168,979
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: $238,213
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $135,965
  • Year 2: $127,836
  • Year 3: $150,089
Dentistry (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $116,248
  • Year 2: $82,440
  • Year 3: $128,102
Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $67,961
  • Year 2: $103,078
  • Year 3: $117,488
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $89,271
  • Year 2: $86,036
  • Year 3: $96,602
Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $74,162
  • Year 2: $72,083
  • Year 3: $95,204
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $74,938
  • Year 2: $73,823
  • Year 3: $89,917
Law (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $71,557
  • Year 2: $57,770
  • Year 3: $87,057
Applied Mathematics (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $64,899
  • Year 2: $67,660
  • Year 3: $86,155
Health and Medical Administrative Services (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $68,205
  • Year 2: $68,666
  • Year 3: $82,520

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