Quad

Appalachian State University

Boone, NCQuad's selectivityAccessible
Known forTest-optional heavy

Admissions · Fall 2024

9 in 10 applicants admitted

Appalachian State admits about 9 in 10 applicants (90%). That puts it in the "Accessible" tier, more selective than 22% of the 1,547 colleges that report admissions.

90%

90%

acceptance rateQuad's selectivityAccessible

Applied

24,614

Admitted

22,188

Yield

18%

of admits enroll

SAT middle 50%

1120–1280

10001600
ACT middle 50%

21–27

1836
Applications +82% since fall 2014 · admit rate 63% → 90%Over time

Getting in, in detail: funnel, what they look at, your scores

Students

Who's on campus

A large campus of 19,444 undergrads, where 26% receive Pell Grants, a low share compared to other colleges.

19.4K

undergrads · larger than 95% of colleges

Diversity index

0.37

Pell Grant

26%

below the median

First generation

25%

below the median

Distant townNCAA D-I FBS · Sun Belt ConferenceROTCStudy abroad
More diverse · index 0.26 → 0.37 since fall 2014Over time

Students and campus life in detail

Academics

Majors and faculty

The most popular major is Psychology, General (9% of graduates). 16 students for every faculty member, more than at 72% of colleges. 78% of faculty are full-time. Spends $8,690 a year on instruction per student.

16 to 1

students per faculty member · more than at 72% of colleges

Most popular major

Psychology, General

9% of 2024–25 graduates

Top-earning major

Computer Science

$97.7K four years after completion

Full-time faculty

78%

of faculty

Instruction spending

$8.7K

per student a year

All majors with search, earnings by major, and faculty

Cost & aid · 2023–24

What it costs

In 2023–24, the average first-year paid an estimated $21,851 in total (tuition, housing, food, books and other costs, after grants), $2.4K less than the national median. The 46% who received grants paid $14,978 on average; the other 54% paid the full sticker price of $23,324 in-state / $40,320 out-of-state.

14%

$21.9K

average total cost per year, all first-years, after grants (est.) · $2.4K below the national median

$0$110K$400K+
Full price, in-state
$23,324 a year
tuition, housing, food, books, and other costs
Need-based aid
Little need-based aid above $110K
aid thins out for families above that income
Aid generosity

Limited

grants cover 14% of full price

Federal loans

37%

of undergrads · national median 45%

Your price

Net price calculator

the college's own

Cost steady · −3% after inflation since 2013–14Over time

Prices, who gets aid, and borrowing in detail

Outcomes

What it pays

Former students earn a median $51,836 ten years after enrolling, more than at 44% of colleges; 75% graduate within six years. Four years of net price is about 1.7 years of that salary.

75%

75%

graduate within six years · national median 59%

Median earnings

$51.8K

10 years after entry

Median debt

$20.2K

≈ $214/month for 10 years

Retention

84%

come back for year two

Graduation rate 70% → 75% since the class that entered fall 2008Over time

Earnings, finishing, 8-year outcomes, by group

Over time · since 2013–14

How it's changed

Since 2013–14, the full price fell 4% after inflation, and what the average first-year paid moved with it. Applications rose 82% since fall 2014, and the acceptance rate went from 63% to 90%.

  • Cost

    Steady

    −3% after inflation

  • Applications

    Growing

    +82%

  • Selectivity

    Less selective

    admit rate 63% → 90%

  • Diversity

    More diverse

    index 0.26 → 0.37

Every series, year by year

Keep exploring

Schools like this one

Utah State University

92% admit · SAT 1180 · 20.3K undergrads

Similar selectivitySimilar scoresSimilar size
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University of Nebraska-Lincoln

87% admit · SAT 1214 · 19.2K undergrads

Similar selectivitySimilar scoresSimilar size
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University of Wisconsin-Whitewater

86% admit · 9.4K undergrads

Similar sizeAlso public
Compare side-by-side

University of Kentucky

94% admit · SAT 1165 · 24.8K undergrads

Similar selectivitySimilar sizeAlso Southeast
Compare side-by-side
Sources for this overviewEvery dataset and year behind the numbers on this profile; tap any ⓘ for one number's source

Sources for this profile

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    IPEDS directory (Institutional Characteristics: HD)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2025–26 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  2. 2
    College Scorecard

    U.S. Department of Education · most recent release; Entered fall 2023; Fall 2024; 2023–24; Fall 2023 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  3. 3
    IPEDS Admissions survey

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  4. 4
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    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2023–24 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  5. 5
    IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey (athletics, programs, services, religious affiliation)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2025–26 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  6. 6
    IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part D)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  7. 7
    IPEDS Completions survey (degrees awarded by field)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2024–25 graduates · retrieved 2026-10-12

  8. 8
    College Scorecard Field of Study data

    U.S. Department of Education · most recent release · retrieved 2026-10-12

  9. 9
    IPEDS Finance survey, derived per-student figures

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2023–24 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  10. 10
    IPEDS Student Financial Aid survey

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2023–24 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  11. 11
    Common Data Set

    Each college (voluntary, standardized template) · most recent release · retrieved 2026-10-12

  12. 12
    IPEDS Graduation Rates survey (Pell Grant and subsidized loan recipients)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Entered fall 2018 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  13. 13
    IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part C, residence of first-time students)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  14. 14
    IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part A, enrollment by level)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  15. 15
    IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (distance education)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  16. 16
    State laws on public colleges

    State legislatures (statutes read and summarized by hand) · In effect since June 24, 2026 · retrieved 2026-10-04

  17. 17
    IPEDS Salaries survey (SAL, instructional staff, all ranks)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  18. 18
    IPEDS Outcome Measures survey

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Students entering fall 2016 · retrieved 2026-10-12

IPEDS unit ID 197869 · Data retrieved 2026-10-12. Tap any ⓘ to see where that number came from and what year it describes. National ranks and medians include every 4-year college that reports the measure. How we source and calculate everything