Location: Chapel Hill, N.C.
Undergraduate enrollment: 18,523
Kiplinger’s 2018 ranking (all schools): #15
Kiplinger’s 2018 ranking (public colleges): #1
NCAA 2018 men’s basketball tournament seeding: #2 seed, West region
UNC’s in-state sticker price is comparable to that of other public colleges, but need-based aid awards for in-state students who qualify average more than $17,000 a year, slashing the school’s sticker price by 78% to less than $5,000 a year. UNC is one of only two public colleges on our list to meet 100% of students’ demonstrated financial need. Much of this aid is awarded in the form of scholarships and grants, which don’t have to be repaid, rather than loans, which helps reduce student borrowing. About 40% of students borrow, but the average debt of those who do is less than $21,000.
| KEY STATS | |
|---|---|
| Freshmen retention rate | 97% |
| Four-year graduation rate | 84% |
| Total cost (in-state) | $22,165 |
| Total cost after need-based aid (in-state) | $4,905 |
| Total cost (out-of-state) | $32,602 |
| Total cost after need-based aid (out-of-state) | $30,488 |
| Average debt at graduation | $20,852 |
