University of North Carolina at Charlotte
#3 Best MBA Programs in North Carolina- Graduation Rate
- 68% B-
- Solid completion rate — most students graduate
- Earnings (10yr)
- $57,289 B+
- Well above the typical college graduate
- Net Price
- $15,435 C+
- Close to the national average
- Acceptance Rate
- 80% C
- Accessible to most qualified applicants
Bottom line: A B- overall grade — average outcomes for a U.S. college. 22.5× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $22.5 over 20 years. Ranked #3 in Best MBA Programs in North Carolina.
Every $1 spent returns $22.5 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $1,328,206.
What The Data Says
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A B- overall — outcomes above the typical U.S. college.
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Earnings 40% above the national college median.
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Every $1 invested returns $22.5 over 20 years — an exceptional return.
Economic Footprint
- Inventor Rate
- 0.5%
- Top 47%
- Patents
- 100
- Linked to graduates
- Patent Citations
- 130
- Downstream influence
Why University of North Carolina at Charlotte Matters
University of North Carolina at Charlotte is a public research university in Charlotte, NC and its outcomes are not an accident. They are driven by a strong research base and a well-connected, high-opportunity alumni network. The result: graduate earnings well above the typical college.
Interpretation generated from this school's federal outcomes, research, and mobility data.
Institutional Profile
- Institution Type
- Public Research University
- Carnegie Class
- R2 · High Research
- Enrollment
- 24,453
- Setting
- Urban
- Primary Strengths
- Business & Marketing, Computer Science & IT, Biology & Biomedical, Health Professions
Why students choose University of North Carolina at Charlotte
CollegeRanker Report Card
Graded on outcomes, against every U.S. college.
Each grade is this school's national percentile on a real outcome — earnings, value, mobility, and more.
How we grade →Admissions
Accessible — admits about 80% of applicants, with a middle-50% SAT of 1140–1330. Run your numbers in the admissions predictor below.
Check your odds →Net price + aid
Students pay about $15,435 a year after grants and scholarships — 10% below the typical U.S. college. See net price by family income below.
See cost & aid →Earnings + debt
Graduates earn a median of $57,289 ten years after enrolling — 40% above the typical college, against $21,500 in median debt.
See outcomes →Mobility + social capital
Moves 1.6% of its students from the bottom income fifth to the top — top 41% nationally for mobility. High social capital (1.51 economic connectedness).
See mobility →Overview
With an enrollment of over 24,000 students, the University of North Carolina at Charlotte caters well to those looking for a vibrant campus experience combined with solid academic programs. The university excels in areas like Business & Marketing, Computer Science, and Health Professions. This diverse selection means that students can find their niche, whether they’re drawn to tech, healthcare, or business.
After graduation, students can expect to earn an average of $57,289 within ten years. This figure reflects the potential for upward mobility in various fields. With an acceptance rate of 80%, the school is accessible for many, which is a significant consideration for those weighing their options. The affordability of education here is also worth noting, as it allows many graduates to embark on their careers with manageable debt.
The net price of attending UNC Charlotte is around $15,435 after financial aid, which is reasonable compared to many other institutions. Graduates leave with a median debt of $21,500, which is relatively low and encourages financial flexibility in the early stages of their careers. This environment tends to suit students who are proactive, engaged, and ready to take advantage of the opportunities available, especially in a city like Charlotte that thrives on a growing job market.
Rankings
- #3 Best MBA Programs in North Carolina
- #4 Best Online Colleges in North Carolina
- #4 Best Computer Science Colleges in North Carolina
- #4 Best Data Science Colleges in North Carolina
- #5 Best Colleges in North Carolina
- #5 Best Bachelor's Programs in North Carolina
- #5 Best Master's Programs in North Carolina
- #5 Best Business Colleges in North Carolina
Can I Get In?
How selective University of North Carolina at Charlotte is — and how your numbers stack up.
Tool
Will I Be Accepted?
Enter your credentials to see your chances at this school.
Academics & Admissions
Is It Hard to Get Into University of North Carolina at Charlotte? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
Based in Charlotte, North Carolina, University of North Carolina at Charlotte admits most of the students who apply; the acceptance rate is roughly 80%. Admitted students typically arrive with an average SAT score near 1,231. The graduation rate is roughly 68%.
- Acceptance Rate
- 80%
- Retention Rate
- 85%
- SAT Average
- 1231
- ACT Midpoint
- 24
- SAT Range
- 1140–1330
- ACT Range
- 21–28
- Full-Time Faculty
- 70%
- Faculty Salary (mo)
- $11,828
- Student–Faculty Ratio
- 20:1
- Diversity Index
- 0.71
- First-Gen Students
- 28%
- Applicants
- 21,355
- Admitted
- 17,007
Inside the Admissions Office
School-reported Common Data Set · 2025-26
The acceptance rate tells you how hard University of North Carolina at Charlotte is to get into. Its Common Data Set tells you what happens once you are admitted: how many students say yes, how many arrived without test scores, and whether applying early tilts the odds. 28% of admitted students go on to enroll here, making it a school many admits weigh against other offers.
- Yield Rate
- 28%
- of admits enroll
- Submitted SAT
- 16%
- of enrolled freshmen
- Submitted ACT
- 27%
- of enrolled freshmen
There is an early lane. University offers Early Action, so you can apply ahead of the regular deadline and hear back sooner without committing to enroll.
Test-optional, in practice. Only about 43% of enrolled freshmen submitted an SAT or ACT score, so a strong application without test scores is genuinely competitive here, not a long shot.
Can I Afford It?
What you'll actually pay after grants and aid — not the sticker price.
Cost & Financial Aid
How Much Does It Cost to Attend University of North Carolina at Charlotte? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at University of North Carolina at Charlotte is $22,492, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $15,435. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $10,357 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $21,500 in federal student loans.
- In-State Tuition
- $7,239
- Out-of-State
- $22,492
- Avg Net Price
- $15,435
- Median Debt
- $21,500
- Pell Grant Rate
- 34%
- Federal Loan Rate
- 39%
What Families Actually Pay
- Family Income $0–$30K
- $10,357
- Family Income $30K–$48K
- $10,668
- Family Income $48K–$75K
- $13,690
- Family Income $110K+
- $21,761
What Happens After?
Earnings, debt, and where graduates actually land.
Students Like You
Tell us a little about yourself to see what students like you have typically experienced at University of North Carolina at Charlotte — the net price for your income, your admission odds, and the outcomes that follow. These are patterns from federal data, not predictions.
Graduate Outcomes
Is University of North Carolina at Charlotte Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of University of North Carolina at Charlotte earn a median of $57,289, roughly in line with the national average for college graduates.
- 6 Years After Entry
- $48,812
- 8 Years
- $52,208
- 10 Years
- $57,289
- Debt-to-Earnings
- 0.38x
- Earning > $25K
- 71%
Earnings Trajectory
Graduation by Timeframe
- 100% (1,247)
- 38%
- 100% (1,247)
- 38%
- 100% (1,247)
- 38%
- 100% (1,247)
- 38%
How University Compares
Dot right of center = above national average.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after aid, by income bracket.
The Mobility Equation
Mobility = Access x Success. How many low-income students get in, and how many reach the top 20%?
College ROI Calculator
Is University of North Carolina at Charlotte Worth It?
A data-driven look at the return on your educational investment — using real federal data.
Yes — for most students, University of North Carolina at Charlotte delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $15,435/year ($61,740 total). Graduates earn $57,289 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $1,389,946 in total earnings — a net gain of $1,328,206 (22.5× your investment). The median debt is $21,500, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 68% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.
- Total Cost (4yr)
- $61,740
- Projected 20yr Earnings
- $1,389,946
- Net Return
- $1,328,206
- ROI Multiple
- 22.5×
- Cost Per Year
- $15,435
- Median Debt
- $21,500
- Debt Payback
- Less than 1 yr
- Graduation Rate
- 68%
Does It Change Lives?
Mobility, social capital, and innovation — does it move people up?
Social Mobility
Data: Raj Chetty's Mobility Report Card · 30M+ anonymized tax records
Does University of North Carolina at Charlotte Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
University of North Carolina at Charlotte is a genuine engine of upward mobility. Its mobility rate, the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top, is 1.64%, well above the typical college. About 6.5% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 25% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $92,300, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
- Mobility Rate
- 1.64%
- Bottom 20% → Top 20%
- Success Rate
- 25.0%
- If bottom 20% get in
- From Bottom 20%
- 6.5%
- Share of students
- Parent Median Income
- $125,403
- today's $ (2015 cohort data)
Innovation & Knowledge Creation
Patents, inventors, and research influence · Opportunity Insights & Times Higher Education
University of North Carolina at Charlotte produces inventors at a measurable rate, with 100 patents tied to its graduates.
- Inventor Rate
- 0.49%
- Top 47% nationally
- Patents Produced
- 100
- Linked to graduates
- Patent Citations
- 130
- Downstream influence
- Inventors From Low-Income
- 0.14%
- Bottom-20% families
Institutional Finances
Data: NCES IPEDS
Top Programs
The fields University of North Carolina at Charlotte awards the most degrees in, by share of completions. Where federal field-of-study data exists, we show what graduates in that major earned early in their careers. Each links to its degree guide — or see what someone with your income, scores, and major would pay and earn here in the Students Like You simulator.
- Business & Marketing 19% $72,385 early-career
- Computer Science & IT 15% $71,690 early-career
- Biology & Biomedical 9% $34,534 early-career
- Health Professions 8% $69,280 early-career
- Psychology 8% $32,768 early-career
- Engineering 7% $84,158 early-career
- Social Sciences 5% $55,689 early-career
- Communications 4% $41,736 early-career
Early-career median earnings by major (typically 1–2 years after completion, bachelor's level where available), in today's dollars (CPI-adjusted). Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard field of study. Distinct from the school-wide 10-year median; suppressed for small programs.
Top Careers
Where these majors tend to lead — common career paths for University of North Carolina at Charlotte's most popular programs, ranked by median pay with our proprietary scorecard insights.
- CChief Executive Officer$189,520 · 3% growthAdaptable 64
- C+IT Manager$169,510 · 15% growthAdaptable 52
- C+Marketing Manager$156,580 · 8% growthAdaptable 64
- C+Cloud Architect$142,000 · 15% growthAdaptable 52
- B-Site Reliability Engineer$140,000 · 20% growthAdaptable 52
- CAdvertising Manager$138,730 · 6% growthAdaptable 64
- CSolutions Architect$138,000 · 12% growthAdaptable 52
- CHR Manager$136,350 · 5% growthAdaptable 64
Frequently Asked Questions
Is It Hard to Get Into University of North Carolina at Charlotte? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
Based in Charlotte, North Carolina, University of North Carolina at Charlotte admits most of the students who apply; the acceptance rate is roughly 80%. Admitted students typically arrive with an average SAT score near 1,231. The graduation rate is roughly 68%.
How Much Does It Cost to Attend University of North Carolina at Charlotte? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at University of North Carolina at Charlotte is $22,492, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $15,435. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $10,357 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $21,500 in federal student loans.
Is University of North Carolina at Charlotte Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of University of North Carolina at Charlotte earn a median of $57,289, roughly in line with the national average for college graduates.
Does University of North Carolina at Charlotte Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes
University of North Carolina at Charlotte is a genuine engine of upward mobility. Its mobility rate, the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top, is 1.64%, well above the typical college. About 6.5% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 25% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $92,300, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.
How Connected Is University of North Carolina at Charlotte? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks
Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Its economic connectedness score is 1.51, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (-0.01), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 5% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Does University of North Carolina at Charlotte offer Early Decision?
No. University of North Carolina at Charlotte does not report a binding Early Decision plan, though it does offer a non-binding Early Action option (2025-26 Common Data Set).
Is University of North Carolina at Charlotte really test-optional?
In practice, yes. Only about 43% of enrolled first-year students submitted an SAT or ACT score, so a strong application without test scores is genuinely competitive at University of North Carolina at Charlotte (2025-26 Common Data Set).
What percentage of admitted students enroll at University of North Carolina at Charlotte?
About 28% of admitted students choose to enroll at University of North Carolina at Charlotte — its yield rate (2025-26 Common Data Set). Yield reflects how often a school wins when applicants weigh competing offers.
Similar Schools
Schools with similar outcomes, selectivity, and student profiles to University of North Carolina at Charlotte.
- Oklahoma State University-Main CampusStillwater, OK · Close peer67% grad $57,413 earn 75% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar grad rate
- University of Oklahoma-Norman CampusNorman, OK · Close peer75% grad $63,126 earn 77% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar grad rate
- University of ArkansasFayetteville, AR · Close peer70% grad $58,191 earn 74% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar grad rate
- University of Nebraska-LincolnLincoln, NE · Close peer66% grad $56,887 earn 87% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar grad rate
- Northern Arizona UniversityFlagstaff, AZ · Close peer59% grad $54,384 earn 90% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Colorado State University-Fort CollinsFort Collins, CO · Close peer67% grad $60,543 earn 89% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar grad rate
Social Capital
Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas
How Connected Is University of North Carolina at Charlotte? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks
Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Its economic connectedness score is 1.51, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (-0.01), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 5% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Research Note