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Rank: 35

North Carolina State University at Raleigh

North Carolina State University is a school with deep-rooted tradition and local pride. In fact, many current students have parents and grandparents who are NC State alumni. Best known for its agricultural science program, as well as its science research majors, NC State offers its more than 36,000 students some 300 undergraduate and graduate degree programs. Take your pick from animal science, extension education, forest management, meteorology, poultry science, textile engineering, and more. With its location in Raleigh, there's always plenty to do, both on campus and off. Hundreds of student clubs are constantly recruiting on the Brickyard, State's central quad, and Greek parties run late into the night. But nothing brings the community together as much as cheering for NC State's Division I sports teams, embroiled in a century-old rivalry with nearby UNC. Students and professors go all out, dressing in red, roasting pigs at tailgating sessions, and pitching tents in parking lots before games. When it's time to study, the Learning Commons offers a quiet escape. Undergrads say that professors are attentive and almost always available. The university has a solid 82% graduation rate, which is slightly higher than expected based on the academic preparation and economic background of the students, according to Money's calculations. In their first years after graduating, alumni tend to earn an average salary of $56,700, according to PayScale.
CORONAVIRUS UPDATE
FALL 2020 PLAN: After clusters of positive cases popped up near campus, NC State switched all undergraduate courses to online-only for the rest of the semester.
costs
Est. Full Price 2020-2021
$24,500
% of students who get any grants
54%
Est. price for students who receive aid
$15,400
Average price for low-income students
$9,100
admissions
Acceptance rate
47%
Median SAT/ACT Score
1320/29
SAT/ACT Required for Fall 2021?
no
Enrollment
23,710
Financial Aid
% of students with need who get grants
92%
% of need met
74%
% of students who get merit* grants
5%
Average merit grant
$5,700
student success
Graduation rate
81%
Average time to a degree
4.4 years
Average student debt
$20,500
Average salary within 5 years
$56,700
% earning more than $28,000
82%
key deadlines
Early decision application
Nov 1
Regular application
Jan 15

* Share of full-time undergraduates who had no financial need and were awarded grants.

* Full price of attendance includes on-campus room & board fees, which may not be applicable to all colleges' reopening plans this year.

Sources: U.S. Department of Education, Peterson's, PayScale.com, Money/American Institutes for Research calculations, Opportunity Insights.

coronavirus update

FALL 2020 PLAN: After clusters of positive cases popped up near campus, NC State switched all undergraduate courses to online-only for the rest of the semester.

* Share of full-time undergraduates who had no financial need and were awarded grants.

* Full price of attendance includes on-campus room & board fees, which may not be applicable to all colleges' reopening plans this year.

Sources: U.S. Department of Education, Peterson's, PayScale.com, Money/American Institutes for Research calculations, Opportunity Insights.

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