University of North Carolina Wilmington

Wilmington, NC · SoutheastQuad's selectivitySelective

Known forTest-optional heavy

Website Admissions Apply Visit Financial aid

Updates

What changed

New and revised figures from the latest data releases, each with its year.

Published Oct 11, 2026

Fall 2025: 22,359 applied (fall 2024: 20,393)University of North Carolina Wilmington (Fall 2025)
Fall 2025: 14,472 admits (fall 2024: 13,101)University of North Carolina Wilmington (Fall 2025)
Fall 2025: 65% admitted (fall 2024: 64%)University of North Carolina Wilmington (Fall 2025)
Fall 2025: middle 50% SAT Reading & Writing 630–690 (fall 2024: 620–680)University of North Carolina Wilmington Common Data Set 2025–26
Fall 2025: middle 50% SAT Math 610–680 (fall 2024: 610–660)University of North Carolina Wilmington Common Data Set 2025–26
Fall 2027 applicants: Test scores recommended (fall 2024: Test-optional)University of North Carolina Wilmington Common Data Set 2025–26
Entered fall 2024: 88.0% returned for a second year (entered fall 2023: 88.2%)University of North Carolina Wilmington Common Data Set 2025–26

Sources:University of North Carolina Wilmington Common Data Set 2025–26, Fall 2025;University of North Carolina Wilmington Common Data Set 2025–26, Fall 2027 applicants;University of North Carolina Wilmington Common Data Set 2025–26, Entered fall 2024About the data(retrieved 2026-10-12)

Admissions · Fall 2025

6 in 10 applicants admitted

U. North Carolina Wilmington admits about 6 in 10 applicants (65%). That puts it in the "Selective" tier, more selective than 71% of the 1,547 colleges that report admissions.

65%

acceptance rateQuad's selectivitySelective

Applied

22,359

Admitted

14,472

Yield

21%

of admits enroll

Avg. GPA

4.09

weighted

SAT middle 50%

1240–1350

10001600

ACT middle 50%

24–29

1836

Applications +77% since fall 2014 · admit rate 59% → 64%Over time

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

Students

Who's on campus

A medium campus of 14,922 undergrads, where 24% receive Pell Grants, a low share compared to other colleges.

14.9K

undergrads · larger than 93% of colleges

Diversity index

0.37

Pell Grant

24%

below the median

First generation

26%

below the median

Midsize cityNCAA D-I · Colonial Athletic AssociationStudy abroad

Steady · index 0.36 → 0.37 since fall 2014Over time

Students and campus life in detail

Academics

Majors and faculty

The most popular major is Business Administration and Management, General (20% of graduates). 17 students for every faculty member, more than at 78% of colleges. 72% of faculty are full-time. Spends $10,765 a year on instruction per student.

17 to 1

students per faculty member · more than at 78% of colleges

What it costs

In 2023–24, the average first-year paid an estimated $26,943 in total (tuition, housing, food, books and other costs, after grants), $2.7K more than the national median. The 55% who received grants paid $18,976 on average; the other 45% paid the full sticker price of $27,030 in-state / $42,698 out-of-state.

12%

$26.9K

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

Full price, in-state: $27,030 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 12% of full price

Federal loans

36%

of undergrads · national median 45%

Your price

Net price calculator

the college's own

Financial aid

Financial aid office Veterans' benefits

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 $54,967 ten years after enrolling, more than at 54% of colleges; 74% graduate within six years. Four years of net price is about 2.0 years of that salary.

74%

graduate within six years · national median 59%

Median earnings

$55K

10 years after entry

Median debt

$19.5K

≈ $207/month for 10 years

Retention

88%

come back for year two

Graduation rate 71% → 71% 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 rose 3% after inflation, and what the average first-year paid moved with it. Applications rose 77% since fall 2014, and the acceptance rate went from 59% to 64%.

Cost
Steady
+3% after inflation
Applications
Growing
+77%
Selectivity
Less selective
admit rate 59% → 64% (to fall 2024)
Diversity
Steady
index 0.36 → 0.37

Every series, year by year

Keep exploring

Schools like this one

State University of New York at Cortland

62% admit · 5.9K undergrads

Similar selectivityAlso public

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University of Central Missouri

64% admit · 5.6K undergrads

Similar selectivityAlso public

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University of South Carolina-Columbia

57% admit · SAT 1280 · 29.8K undergrads

Similar scoresSimilar sizeAlso Southeast

Compare side-by-side

College of Charleston

60% admit · SAT 1225 · 10.6K 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

1
IPEDS directory (Institutional Characteristics: HD)
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2025–26 · retrieved 2026-10-12
2
College Scorecard
U.S. Department of Education · most recent release; Fall 2024; 2023–24; Fall 2023 · retrieved 2026-10-12
3
University of North Carolina Wilmington Common Data Set 2025–26
University of North Carolina Wilmington · Fall 2025; Fall 2027 applicants; Entered fall 2024; 2024–25; 2025–26; Fall 2026 entrants; Fall 2026 cycle; 2026–27; Class of 2025 · retrieved 2026-10-11
4
IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2023–24 · retrieved 2026-10-12
5
IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey (athletics, programs, services, religious affiliation)
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2025–26 · retrieved 2026-10-12
6
IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part D)
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12
7
IPEDS Completions survey (degrees awarded by field)
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2024–25 graduates · retrieved 2026-10-12
8
College Scorecard Field of Study data
U.S. Department of Education · most recent release · retrieved 2026-10-12
9
IPEDS Finance survey, derived per-student figures
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2023–24 · retrieved 2026-10-12
10
IPEDS Student Financial Aid survey
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2023–24 · retrieved 2026-10-12
11
Common Data Set
Each college (voluntary, standardized template) · most recent release · retrieved 2026-10-12
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
IPEDS Admissions survey
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12
14
IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part C, residence of first-time students)
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12
15
IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part A, enrollment by level)
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12
16
IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (distance education)
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12
17
State laws on public colleges
State legislatures (statutes read and summarized by hand) · In effect since June 24, 2026 · retrieved 2026-10-04
18
IPEDS Salaries survey (SAL, instructional staff, all ranks)
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12
19
IPEDS Outcome Measures survey
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Students entering fall 2016 · retrieved 2026-10-12
20
University of North Carolina Wilmington (2026)
University of North Carolina Wilmington · 2026 · retrieved 2026-10-04

IPEDS unit ID 199218 · 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