Columbia College vs University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC)

Columbia College and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, both esteemed institutions of higher learning, offer distinct educational experiences. Columbia College, nestled in the heart of New York City, boasts a highly selective admissions process with an acceptance rate of 6.1%, while UNC-Chapel Hill, situated in the vibrant college town of Chapel Hill, North Carolina, offers a more accessible admissions process with an acceptance rate of 24.4%. Columbia College is renowned for its strengths in the humanities, social sciences, and pre-professional programs, while UNC-Chapel Hill excels in a wide range of disciplines, including business, engineering, and the sciences. Explore the comprehensive comparison table below to delve into further details about these two exceptional universities, including popular majors, student body demographics, graduation rates, and more, to help you make an informed decision about your academic journey.
Columbia College logo

Columbia College

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill logo

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Overview

Location Columbia, South Carolina Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Campus setting City: Midsize City: Small
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Private (Non Profit) Public
Calendar system Semester Semester
Degrees offered Undergraduate and Graduate Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate 54.0% 97.0%
Common app member Yes Yes
Religious affiliation Methodism

Admission

Acceptance rate 98.6% 20.4%
Application fees
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 1,278 50,729
Total number of admissions given out 1,260 10,348
Admitted students who chose to enroll 210 4,690
Yield rate 16.7% 45.3%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Required Required
Recommendation letters Not required Required
High school transcript Required Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Required Required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price $41,142
In state: $24,770

Out of state: $52,633
Average net price $20,520 $11,508
Tuition $20,080
In state: $7,019

Out of state: $34,882
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $4,120

Meal plan: $4,200
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)

98.0%
Average amount $13,663
42.0%
Average amount $16,076
Students receiving federal student loan 77.0%
Average amount $6,081
17.0%
Average amount $4,244
Students taking out private loans 3.0%
Average amount $10,833
3.0%
Average amount $14,032

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 1,065
Men 15.2% Women 84.8%
19,845
Men 39.6% Women 60.4%
Graduate students 324
Men 12.7% Women 87.3%
11,796
Men 41.4% Women 58.6%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Moderate
Low
Out-of-state students 15.0% 16.2%
International students 0.6% 6.8%
Campus local/setting City: Midsize City: Small
Dormitory capacity 618 9,984
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from South Carolina Georgia Florida North Carolina Alabama North Carolina Georgia Maryland New York Pennsylvania

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Education
  • Law Enforcement and Firefighting
  • Business
  • Health Professions
  • Liberal Arts
  • Health Professions
  • Business
  • Social Sciences
  • Public Administration and Social Service
  • Multidisciplinary Studies
Students to faculty ratio 11:1 15:1
Institutional accreditation Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges

Outcome

Graduation rate 54.4% 90.5%
Dropout rate 16.3% 3.7%
Transferred out 29.4% 5.4%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services, Other (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $46,087
  • Year 3: $51,609
Criminal Justice and Corrections (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $44,941
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: $48,181
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $42,123
  • Year 3: $42,584
Education, Other (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $40,920
  • Year 2: $40,792
  • Year 3: $41,966
Communication and Media Studies (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $31,802
  • Year 2: $33,993
  • Year 3: $40,157
Social Work (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $31,014
  • Year 2: $30,926
  • Year 3: $35,159
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $28,598
  • Year 3: $33,769
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $31,329
  • Year 2: $30,305
  • Year 3: $32,187
Behavioral Sciences (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $25,194
  • Year 3: $31,896
Psychology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $27,946
  • Year 2: $22,192
  • Year 3: $27,013
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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