UNCW acceptance rate, cost and outcomes
University of North Carolina Wilmington · Public · Wilmington, NC · 14,494 undergraduates (IPEDS fall 2023)
UNCW admitted 74.0% of applicants for fall 2023, up from 54.2% in 2013. North Carolina residents pay $7,266 in tuition and fees for 2025-26; out-of-state students pay $25,420.
Admit rate, 2013 to 2023
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| Fall | Admit rate | Applicants | Admitted |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 54.2% | 11,184 | 6,061 |
| 2014 | 58.6% | 11,523 | 6,747 |
| 2015 | 61.0% | 11,444 | 6,976 |
| 2016 | 71.8% | 10,443 | 7,493 |
| 2017 | 66.5% | 11,677 | 7,767 |
| 2018 | 61.2% | 13,117 | 8,034 |
| 2019 | 65.5% | 13,287 | 8,697 |
| 2020 | 68.0% | 13,633 | 9,266 |
| 2021 | 68.0% | 15,792 | 10,736 |
| 2022 | 68.8% | 16,860 | 11,605 |
| 2023 | 74.0% | 17,370 | 12,856 |
Applications went from 11,184 in fall 2013 to 17,370 in fall 2023. Admit rate = admitted ÷ applicants. Source: IPEDS fall admissions.1
What families actually pay
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| Family income | Net price / year, 2024-25 |
|---|---|
| $0 to $30,000 | $11,568 |
| $30,001 to $48,000 | $11,726 |
| $48,001 to $75,000 | $14,444 |
| $75,001 to $110,000 | $20,775 |
| Over $110,000 | $26,500 |
| Tuition and fees, in-state (2025-26) | $7,266 |
| Tuition and fees, out-of-state (2025-26) | $25,420 |
| Cost of attendance (2024-25) | $28,004 |
| Average net price, students with federal aid (2024-25) | $19,570 |
Net price is the cost of attendance minus grants, for first-time full-time students with federal aid paying the in-state rate, 2024-25. Tuition is 2025-26. Source: College Scorecard.2
SAT and ACT
Middle 50% (25th to 75th percentile) of enrolled first-year students who submitted scores: 7% submitted the SAT, 16% the ACT. Source: IPEDS fall 2023.1
Similar public colleges
| College | Admit rate | Tuition and fees |
|---|---|---|
| UNC Charlotte NC | 80.2% | $7,317 in-state |
| Western Carolina NC | 86.7% | $4,685 in-state |
| App State NC | 88.6% | $7,642 in-state |
Same state and type first, then the nearest admit rate. Fall 2023 and 2025-26 figures.
What the numbers say
UNCW drew 17,370 applications for fall 2023, and 74.0% of them were admitted.1 Its 2013 rate was 54.2%, and the rate has climbed 19.8 percentage points since.1 Only 2 of the 10 yearly changes brought a lower rate.1 The admitted group expanded 112%, from 6,061 to 12,856, against a 55% rise in applications.1 Undergraduate enrollment totaled 14,494 in 2023.4
A share of 88% of fall 2023 entrants returned for the following fall.2
SAT and ACT scores are optional, and the middle 50% of ACT composites ran from 24 to 28 in 2023.1
North Carolina residents pay $7,266 in tuition and fees in 2025-26, and nonresidents pay $25,420.2 The resident price is slightly below the $7,292 median of the 16 public bachelor's colleges in North Carolina.2 Net price in 2024-25 averaged $11,568 for the lowest income band of $0 to $30,000, and $20,775 for families earning $75,001 to $110,000.2 It reached $26,500 for incomes over $110,000.2 Among 2019 entrants, 72% graduated within 6 years, well above the 47% median across 56 bachelor's colleges in the state.2 Median earnings were $61,019 at 10 years after entry, and median debt for finishers with federal loans was $18,250.2
Every number on this page, with its source field
| Figure | Value | File, field, year |
|---|---|---|
| Applicants | 17,370 | IPEDS ADM2023, APPLCN, fall 20231 |
| Admitted | 12,856 | IPEDS ADM2023, ADMSSN, fall 20231 |
| Enrolled first-years | 2,701 | IPEDS ADM2023, ENRLT, fall 20231 |
| Undergraduates | 14,494 | IPEDS DRVEF2023, EFUG, fall 20234 |
| Admission policy | Selective (not open admission) | IPEDS IC2023, OPENADMP, 2023-243 |
| Test policy | Test-optional | IPEDS ADM2023, ADMCON7, fall 20231 |
| SAT reading/writing, 25th percentile | 620 | IPEDS ADM2023, SATVR25, fall 20231 |
| SAT reading/writing, 75th percentile | 690 | IPEDS ADM2023, SATVR75, fall 20231 |
| SAT math, 25th percentile | 600 | IPEDS ADM2023, SATMT25, fall 20231 |
| SAT math, 75th percentile | 670 | IPEDS ADM2023, SATMT75, fall 20231 |
| ACT composite, 25th percentile | 24 | IPEDS ADM2023, ACTCM25, fall 20231 |
| ACT composite, 75th percentile | 28 | IPEDS ADM2023, ACTCM75, fall 20231 |
| Enrolled students submitting SAT | 7% | IPEDS ADM2023, SATPCT, fall 20231 |
| Enrolled students submitting ACT | 16% | IPEDS ADM2023, ACTPCT, fall 20231 |
| Tuition and fees, in-state | $7,266 | College Scorecard, TUITIONFEE_IN, 2025-262 |
| Tuition and fees, out-of-state | $25,420 | College Scorecard, TUITIONFEE_OUT, 2025-262 |
| Cost of attendance | $28,004 | College Scorecard, COSTT4_A, 2024-252 |
| Average net price, students with federal aid | $19,570 | College Scorecard, NPT4_PUB, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $0 to $30,000 | $11,568 | College Scorecard, NPT41_PUB, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $30,001 to $48,000 | $11,726 | College Scorecard, NPT42_PUB, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $48,001 to $75,000 | $14,444 | College Scorecard, NPT43_PUB, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $75,001 to $110,000 | $20,775 | College Scorecard, NPT44_PUB, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income over $110,000 | $26,500 | College Scorecard, NPT45_PUB, 2024-252 |
| Graduation rate within 6 years | 72% | College Scorecard, C150_4, 2019 entrants2 |
| First-year retention | 88% | College Scorecard, RET_FT4, fall 2023 entrants2 |
| Undergraduates with a Pell grant | 28% | College Scorecard, PCTPELL, 2024-252 |
| Median earnings 10 years after entry | $61,019 | College Scorecard, MD_EARN_WNE_P10, 2022-232 |
| Median federal debt of graduates | $18,250 | College Scorecard, GRAD_DEBT_MDN, FY2024-252 |
| Median in-state tuition and fees, public colleges, North Carolina (N = 16) | $7,292 | College Scorecard, median TUITIONFEE_IN, public bachelor's institutions, 2025-262 |
| Median graduation rate within 6 years, North Carolina (N = 56) | 47% | College Scorecard, median C150_4, bachelor's institutions, 2019 entrants2 |
Sources
- National Center for Education Statistics (NCES): IPEDS admissions files, fall 2013 to fall 2023 (IC2013, ADM2014, ADM2015, ADM2016, ADM2017, ADM2018, ADM2019, ADM2020, ADM2021, ADM2022, ADM2023). Checked 26 Oct 2026.
- U.S. Department of Education: College Scorecard, Most Recent Institution-Level Data (Most-Recent-Cohorts-Institution (release of 15 Oct 2026)). Data years: 2019 entrants, 2022-23, 2024-25, 2025-26, FY2024-25, fall 2023 entrants. Checked 25 Oct 2026.
- National Center for Education Statistics (NCES): IPEDS Institutional Characteristics 2023-24 (IC2023.zip). Data years: 2023-24. Checked 26 Oct 2026.
- National Center for Education Statistics (NCES): IPEDS Fall Enrollment, derived variables, fall 2023 (DRVEF2023.zip). Data years: 2023. Checked 26 Oct 2026.
AdmitFacts is not affiliated with UNCW, the U.S. Department of Education or NCES. Missing values are shown as Not reported, never estimated. The file field behind each figure is listed under "Every number on this page". How we build each page