B
Good
Score: 64/100
Overall (traditional)
B
Outcome Rating
68/100 · earnings-weighted

University of North Carolina Wilmington

4-Year Public
📍 Wilmington, North Carolina 28403
University of North Carolina Wilmington campus, Wilmington, NC
University of North Carolina Wilmington campus, Wilmington, NC. Photo: Edward Orde, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons.
Outcomes
B+
81/100
Affordability
C
51/100
Resources
C+
58/100
Experience
B+
77/100
Prestige
C+
51/100

Two ratings: the overall grade compares colleges the conventional way (outcomes, cost, resources, experience, reputation). The Outcome Rating asks what students earn: 60% wage-adjusted earnings 10 years after enrolling, 25% graduation, 15% retention. Methodology

Quick Stats

17,987
Total Enrollment
71%
Graduation Rate
85%
Retention Rate
17.0:1
Student-Faculty Ratio
74%
Acceptance Rate
$18,606
Avg Net Price
🏠 Housing Market Near University of North Carolina Wilmington ▼

2% of first-year students live off campus and not with family (U.S. Dept. of Education, IPEDS). Upper-year students at most universities move off campus at much higher rates, so near-campus rental demand is typically larger than this figure suggests.

Avg Home Value
$399,701
Avg Monthly Rent
$1,746
1-Year Change
+4.3%

Earnings, Debt & Completion

What happens to students who enroll at University of North Carolina Wilmington, from the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard.

$54,967
Median earnings 10 yrs after entry
$46,972
Median earnings 6 yrs after entry
$19,500
Median debt at graduation
70.6%
Completion rate (within 150% of normal time)
1,287
Average SAT
26
Median ACT
24%
Students receiving Pell grants

Typical debt at graduation equals about 35% of one year’s median earnings ten years after entry.

Earnings rank: 63rd percentile among bachelor’s-degree-focused colleges after a partial adjustment for local wage levels (NC wage index 0.87). This drives the Outcome Rating.

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, retrieved Oct 2026. Earnings are for federally aided students who enrolled, whether or not they graduated.

Earnings by Major at University of North Carolina Wilmington

Median pay of bachelor's degree graduates by field of study, and how each program ranks against every college reporting that major — by raw pay and adjusted for state wage levels. Same school, very different paychecks.

Major1 yr after4 yrs aftervs. nationalRank (pay)Rank (wage-adj.)Median debt
Computer Science$66,977$88,219-18%#255 of 349#217$23,980
Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences$56,924$86,654+27%#6 of 61#6$23,421
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing$74,463$86,606-3%#487 of 966#314$15,128
Business Administration, Management and Operations$48,369$75,512+11%#230 of 1176#126$19,555
Computer and Information Sciences$54,105$71,964-22%#370 of 459#329$26,000
Mathematics—$66,941-4%#192 of 309#140$21,196
Chemistry$44,473$65,982+1%#109 of 209#57$16,400
Biology$32,925$60,750+6%#311 of 841#188$21,000
Public Health$36,458$60,722+3%#84 of 215#57$21,458
Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences$38,459$60,414+0%#71 of 138#42$22,995
Political Science and Government$31,124$58,258-8%#370 of 565#244$20,625
International/Globalization Studies$21,830$54,707-9%#49 of 87#35$17,500
Communication and Media Studies$36,695$54,315-4%#325 of 660#212$19,000
Special Education and Teaching$42,584$52,494+4%#71 of 177#39$19,039
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions$39,366$51,696-7%#47 of 85#40$19,500
Physiology, Pathology and Related Sciences$30,779$50,564-19%#58 of 64#54$20,250
Criminology$34,443$50,514-9%#89 of 113#68$20,000
Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Facilities Management$31,873$50,241+-0%#27 of 55#17$20,125
Psychology$29,418$49,609-2%#530 of 1027#315$20,932
Sociology$29,220$48,591-8%#323 of 462#234$23,250
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods$40,777$48,024+1%#335 of 680#256$18,250
Social Work$38,380$47,587-8%#328 of 420#296$19,500
Natural Resources Conservation and Research$28,935$46,527-15%#243 of 265#200$21,500
History$25,047$46,072-9%#355 of 459#269$22,786
English Language and Literature$24,384$46,008-5%#381 of 576#280$22,000
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics$25,426$45,289-18%#203 of 225#188$23,250
Philosophy and Religious Studies—$42,597-8%———
Fine and Studio Arts$20,072$42,192+2%#193 of 423#124$22,479
Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology$25,303$39,812-18%#59 of 62#53$19,500
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies$24,205$37,968-22%#128 of 137#107$26,264
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft$20,450$35,956-10%#197 of 255#152$25,000
Film/Video and Photographic Arts$22,315$34,184-22%#138 of 144#130$20,500
Anthropology$25,198$33,461-28%#182 of 188#177$22,987

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study data. Earnings are for graduates who received federal aid and were working; small programs are not reported.

For parents & investors

The University of North Carolina Wilmington Town Property Report

  • Avg home value near campus: $399,701
  • Avg rent near campus: $1,746/mo — vs ~$890/mo campus room rate
  • Top nearby ZIP by cap rate: 28479 (4.6% cap, Winnabow)

Get the free 1-page report: rent-vs-dorm math, the 3 best nearby ZIPs by yield, and the “kiddie condo” strategy parents use.

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🏆 Where University of North Carolina Wilmington Ranks

Rankings based on Repit College Grade among schools offering each program.

#9
Family Practice Nurse/Nursing
of 100 schools
#11
Marine Biology and Biological Oceanography
of 32 schools
#13
Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse
of 100 schools
#14
Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences, Other
of 67 schools
#18
Cinematography and Film/Video Production
of 85 schools
#21
Health/Health Care Administration/Management
of 100 schools
#21
Criminology
of 100 schools
#22
Creative Writing
of 70 schools
#30
Exercise Science and Kinesiology
of 100 schools

Costs & Financial Aid

Tuition & Fees

Category In-State Out-of-State
Tuition $4,443 $20,111
Room $8,008
Board $4,597
Total Cost (On-Campus) $27,030 $42,698

Financial Aid

72%
Receive Any Aid
22%
Receive Pell Grants
45%
Take Out Loans
$18,606
Avg Net Price

Net Price by Family Income

Family Income Average Net Price
$0 - $30,000$11,837
$30,001 - $48,000$13,891
$48,001 - $75,000$18,377
$75,001 - $110,000$23,374
$110,001+$25,018

Student Demographics

17,987
Total Students
65%
Women
83%
Traditional Age (18-24)
2%
Off-Campus Renters

👥 Race & Ethnicity

White 76%
Hispanic 8%
Black 6%
Asian 2%
Two or More 3%
Non-Resident 2%

🏠 Living Arrangements

On Campus 93%
Off-Campus (Renters) 2%
With Family 5%
🏘️ Rental Demand: ~378 students need off-campus housing

💻 Learning Mode

In-Person 33%
Hybrid (Some Online) 42%
Fully Online 24%

📊 Age Distribution

18-24 (Traditional) 83%
25-64 (Adult) 15%

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the acceptance rate at University of North Carolina Wilmington?
University of North Carolina Wilmington has an acceptance rate of 74%. This indicates a less selective admissions process with good chances for qualified applicants.
How much does it cost to attend University of North Carolina Wilmington?
Tuition at University of North Carolina Wilmington is $4,443 for in-state students and $20,111 for out-of-state students . However, the average net price after financial aid is $18,606.
What is the graduation rate at University of North Carolina Wilmington?
The graduation rate at University of North Carolina Wilmington is 71%. This is a solid graduation rate, showing that most students who enroll successfully complete their degrees.
Is University of North Carolina Wilmington a good school?
University of North Carolina Wilmington has a Repit College Score of 64/100 (Grade: B). Our rating evaluates five key factors:
  • Outcomes (B+): Graduation and retention rates
  • Affordability (C): Net cost and financial aid access
  • Resources (C+): Class sizes and selectivity
  • Experience (B+): Campus life and learning format
  • Prestige (C+): Reputation and recognition
How many students attend University of North Carolina Wilmington?
University of North Carolina Wilmington has a total enrollment of 17,987 students. Most students (83%) are traditional college-age (18-24).
Is there rental demand near University of North Carolina Wilmington?
Yes! Approximately 2% of students at University of North Carolina Wilmington live off-campus (not with family). That's roughly 378 students who need rental housing near campus.

Deciding between a dorm and buying near campus? Run the numbers for University of North Carolina Wilmington — four years of dorm costs vs. owning, including what you’d recover at resale. Buy vs Dorm calculator →

🎓 Similar Colleges to University of North Carolina Wilmington

Compare with other 4-Year public institutions of similar size.

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B
Appalachian State University
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B
North Carolina A & T State University
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C+
East Carolina University
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C+
University of North Carolina at Greensboro
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C+
Western Carolina University
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Data source: IPEDS 2023-24 | Last updated: October 2026 | Methodology