Quad

University of North Carolina School of the Arts

Winston Salem, NCQuad's selectivityVery selective
Known forBig endowment per studentTest-optional heavy
WebsiteAdmissionsApplyVisitFinancial aid

Admissions · Fall 2024

1 in 3 applicants admitted

U. North Carolina School of the Arts admits about 1 in 3 applicants (30%). That puts it in the "Very selective" tier, more selective than 93% of the 1,547 colleges that report admissions.

30%

30%

acceptance rateQuad's selectivityVery selective

Applied

1,438

Admitted

431

Yield

55%

of admits enroll

SAT middle 50%

1140–1370

10001600
ACT middle 50%

22–29

1836
Applications +66% since fall 2014 · admit rate 43% → 30%Over time

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

Students

Who's on campus

A small campus of 945 undergrads, where 26% receive Pell Grants, a low share compared to other colleges.

945

undergrads · larger than 35% of colleges

Diversity index

0.67

Pell Grant

26%

below the median

Large city
More diverse · index 0.45 → 0.67 since fall 2014Over time

Students and campus life in detail

Academics

Majors and faculty

The most popular major is Cinematography and Film/Video Production (32% of graduates). 6 students for every faculty member, fewer than at 95% of colleges. 75% of faculty are full-time. Spends $26,642 a year on instruction per student.

6 to 1

students per faculty member · fewer than at 95% of colleges

Most popular major

Cinematography and Film/Video Production

32% of 2024–25 graduates

Top-earning major

Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft

$48.7K four years after completion

Full-time faculty

75%

of faculty

Instruction spending

$26.6K

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 $26,976 in total (tuition, housing, food, books and other costs, after grants), $2.7K more than the national median. The 62% who received grants paid $13,140 on average; the other 38% paid the full sticker price of $27,036 in-state / $44,770 out-of-state.

23%

$27K

average total cost per year, all first-years, after grants (est.) · $2.7K above the national median

$0$110K$400K+
Full price, in-state
$27,036 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 23% of full price

Federal loans

47%

of undergrads · national median 45%

Your price

Net price calculator

the college's own

Financial aid

Financial aid office
Cost falling · −12% after inflation since 2013–14Over time

Prices, who gets aid, and borrowing in detail

Outcomes

What it pays

Former students earn a median $38,357 ten years after enrolling, more than at 11% of colleges; 77% graduate within six years. Four years of net price is about 2.8 years of that salary.

77%

77%

graduate within six years · national median 59%

Median earnings

$38.4K

10 years after entry

Median debt

$23.9K

≈ $253/month for 10 years

Retention

93%

come back for year two

Graduation rate 59% → 78% 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 9% after inflation, and what the average first-year paid moved with it. Applications rose 66% since fall 2014, and the acceptance rate went from 43% to 30%.

  • Cost

    Falling

    −12% after inflation

  • Applications

    Growing

    +66%

  • Selectivity

    More selective

    admit rate 43% → 30%

  • Diversity

    More diverse

    index 0.45 → 0.67

Every series, year by year

Keep exploring

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New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology

44% admit · SAT 1195 · 995 undergrads

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University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences

1.6K undergrads

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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
    IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey

    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

  19. 19
    University of North Carolina School of the Arts (2026)

    University of North Carolina School of the Arts · 2026 · retrieved 2026-10-04

IPEDS unit ID 199184 · 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