North Carolina State University

Raleigh, NC · Public

Official website

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Admission rate

North Carolina State University admitted 41.3% of applicants university-wide (18,201 of 44,043).

CohortAdmit rateAdmittedApplicants
University-wide41.3%18,20144,043
In-state48.9%10,57021,636
Out-of-state35.7%6,96319,487
International applicants22.9%6682,920
Men37.5%7,97721,260
Women45.7%10,40422,783

Also offers Early Action (closes Nov 1) — the Common Data Set doesn't publish EA admit counts.

Of 18,201 admitted students, 5,837 enrolled (32.1% yield).

North Carolina State University U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard · Sections C1–C2 · 2023Published cohort admit rates — context, not an applicant-specific probability.

Test scores and GPA of admitted students

SAT (mid-50%)
1290–1440
ACT (mid-50%)
25–32
GPA (mid-50%, 4.0 scale)
3.753.99

Testing policy: Test-optional (considered if submitted)

North Carolina State University U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard · Sections C9–C12 · 2023Published admit stats reflect the entire incoming class unless explicitly labeled international-only.

Cost and financial aid

Published cost of attendance: $48,342/yr.

Out-of-state tuition$30,583
Fees, housing, food, books & other$17,759
Sticker cost of attendance$48,342/yr

Average net price by family income (US, federal aid data)

Under $30k$6,382
$30k–48k$8,758
$48k–75k$13,334
$75k–110k$20,087
Over $110k$24,652

U.S. Dept. of Education · College Scorecard — average net price by family income (Title IV, from IPEDS) · 2023

US applicants

Need- and merit-based aid available.

  • Goodnight Scholars Program$25k/Year (Full Tuition)
  • Caldwell Fellows$5,000 per year (Merit)
  • Chancellor's Science ScholarsFull cost of attendance (tuition, fees, room, board) plus $5,000 stipend (Full Ride)
  • Park ScholarshipsFull tuition, fees, room, board, and enrichment funds (Full Tuition)
  • University Need-Based GrantVaries (Need Based)

International applicants

No need-based aid reported for internationals.

  • International Student ScholarshipUp to $10,000 per year (International Aid)

North Carolina State University U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard · Sections G–H · 2023

Application requirements

US applicants

  • Official High School Transcript
  • Common App or Coalition App Essay
  • Short Answer Questions
  • SAT, ACT, or CLT Scores (optional)
  • Letters of Recommendation (optional)
  • Portfolio and Additional Essay (optional)
  • Application fee

International applicants

  • Official High School Transcript
  • Common App or Coalition App Essay
  • Short Answer Questions
  • SAT, ACT, or CLT Scores (optional)
  • Letters of Recommendation (optional)
  • Portfolio and Additional Essay (optional)
  • Application fee
  • English proficiency (IELTS/TOEFL)
  • GPA credential conversion
  • Predicted Class XII marksheet
  • Financial documentation (I-20)

North Carolina State University · Application requirements (official admissions pages) · 2025

Essay prompts

The Common App personal essay is required (one of 7 shared prompts), plus 5 college-specific supplements:

  1. An additional question required for the University Honors Program, response of no more than 600 words.600 words · Optional
  2. Explain why you selected the academic program(s) above and why you are interested in studying these at NC State.Required
  3. Additional question for University Honors Program (response of no more than 600 words) available on the undergraduate application.600 words · Choose from this set
  4. University Honors Program additional question (no more than 600 words) - available on the undergraduate application.600 words · Choose from this set
  5. Design essay for studio-based majors (Architecture, Media Arts, Design and Technology, Fashion and Textile Design, Graphic & Experience Design, Industrial Design) - submit a design essay as part of the portfolio.Choose from this set

Draft these in the free Essay Coach

Prompts from the Common App member feed · verified Jul 3, 2026

Graduate outcomes

Median earnings
$68,758
Median earnings · 10 years after entry
Graduation rate
84.8%
Within 150% of normal time
First-year retention
93%
Return for year two · CDS Section B
Median debt
$20,121
At graduation

North Carolina State University · U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard (2023 release) · 2023Earnings and debt figures are federal data for aid-receiving graduates — cohort outcomes, not a guarantee for any individual student.

Published rankings

  • U.S. News National: #64
  • WSJ: #176
  • Forbes: #66
  • Niche: #86
  • QS: #272

Deadlines

  • 2026-11-01Early ActionNon-binding early round
  • 2027-06-01Regular DecisionStandard deadline

North Carolina State University U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard · Sections C21–C22 · 2023

Academics and campus

Largest degree fields: Engineering (24%), Business & marketing (16%), Biological & life sciences (9%).

Student–faculty ratio: 15:1 · 32% of class sections have under 20 students.

North Carolina State University U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard · Sections E, F, I · 2023Published institutional figures for the reporting year — descriptive of the current student body, not a prediction about your experience.

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