University of Nevada-Las Vegas (UNLV) vs University of Nevada-Reno (UNR)

Nestled in the heart of the vibrant city of Las Vegas and the scenic town of Reno, the University of Nevada-Las Vegas (UNLV) and the University of Nevada-Reno (UNR) stand as two distinct pillars of higher education in the Silver State. While both institutions share the common goal of providing quality education, they offer unique experiences shaped by their contrasting locations, academic strengths, and student demographics. UNLV boasts a diverse student body and a bustling urban campus, while UNR offers a more traditional college town atmosphere with a focus on research and graduate programs. With varying acceptance rates, popular majors, and graduation outcomes, UNLV and UNR cater to different aspirations and learning styles. Explore our comprehensive comparison table to discover which university aligns best with your academic pursuits and personal preferences, ensuring you make an informed decision that sets you on the path to success.
University of Nevada-Las Vegas logo

University of Nevada-Las Vegas

University of Nevada-Reno logo

University of Nevada-Reno

Overview

Location Las Vegas, Nevada Reno, Nevada
Campus setting City: Midsize City: Large
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Public Public
Calendar system Semester Semester
Degrees offered Undergraduate and Graduate Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate 77.0% 78.0%
Common app member Yes Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 83.5% 88.2%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $60

Graduate: $60
Undergraduate: $60

Graduate: $60
SAT range N/A 1060 - 1270
ACT range N/A 20 - 26
Students submitting SAT score 12.0%
Students submitting ACT score 60.0%
Total number of applicants 13,025 9,421
Total number of admissions given out 10,873 8,306
Admitted students who chose to enroll 4,125 3,412
Yield rate 37.9% 41.1%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Required Required
Recommendation letters Not required Not required
High school transcript Not required Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Not required Required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price
In state: $28,003

Out of state: $44,094
In state: $26,796

Out of state: $42,888
Average net price $13,030 $16,398
Tuition
In state: $7,949

Out of state: $24,040
In state: $7,470

Out of state: $23,562
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $5,880

Meal plan: $5,456
Room/dormitory: $5,850

Meal plan: $5,792
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

92.0%
Average amount $6,217
86.0%
Average amount $7,232
Students receiving federal student loan 21.0%
Average amount $5,000
29.0%
Average amount $5,001
Students taking out private loans 1.0%
Average amount $17,424
4.0%
Average amount $12,013

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 25,312
Men 43.1% Women 56.9%
17,025
Men 47.1% Women 52.9%
Graduate students 5,367
Men 40.8% Women 59.2%
4,009
Men 39.3% Women 60.7%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Moderate
Moderate
Out-of-state students N/A 26.1%
International students 2.7% 2.8%
Campus local/setting City: Midsize City: Large
Dormitory capacity 2,850 3,524
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from N/A Nevada California Hawaii Oregon Washington

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Education
  • Business
  • Health Professions
  • Visual & Performing Arts
  • Biological and Biomedical Sciences
  • Health Professions
  • Engineering
  • Biological and Biomedical Sciences
  • Public Administration and Social Service
  • Social Sciences
Students to faculty ratio 18:1 17:1
Institutional accreditation Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities

Outcome

Graduation rate 47.2% 62.7%
Dropout rate 44.5% 34.1%
Transferred out N/A N/A
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Dentistry (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $115,835
  • Year 2: $106,421
  • Year 3: $118,208
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $116,502
  • Year 2: $99,683
  • Year 3: $105,571
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: $81,563
  • Year 2: $81,433
  • Year 3: $93,426
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $86,908
  • Year 2: $90,856
  • Year 3: $92,054
Law (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $68,344
  • Year 2: $72,177
  • Year 3: $86,154
Health and Medical Administrative Services (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $73,087
  • Year 2: $84,653
  • Year 3: $85,010
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $71,477
  • Year 2: $75,313
  • Year 3: $79,196
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $67,725
  • Year 2: $70,296
  • Year 3: $78,028
Hospitality Administration/Management (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $76,060
  • Year 2: $73,949
  • Year 3: $73,853
Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $54,877
  • Year 2: $59,942
  • Year 3: $73,118
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $101,016
  • Year 2: $104,192
  • Year 3: $106,685
Computer and Information Sciences, General (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $79,284
  • Year 3: $89,037
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $79,780
  • Year 2: $82,440
  • Year 3: $86,482
Mining and Mineral Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $69,338
  • Year 3: $82,783
Computer Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $63,402
  • Year 2: $67,473
  • Year 3: $78,990
Civil Engineering (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $60,203
  • Year 2: $66,169
  • Year 3: $77,729
Psychology, General (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $57,770
  • Year 3: $75,701
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $69,757
  • Year 2: $69,161
  • Year 3: $74,927
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $61,629
  • Year 2: $67,324
  • Year 3: $73,298
Medicine (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $56,591
  • Year 2: $57,995
  • Year 3: $71,617

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