More selective than 85% of North Carolina colleges we cover.
College Scorecard, Fall 2024 entering class
Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.
Sticker price $26,425. College Scorecard.
Higher than 91% of North Carolina colleges we cover and 93% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median 54%.
Within 6 years · College Scorecard
Higher than 91% of North Carolina colleges we cover and 84% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median $53,263.
Median, 10 years after starting · College Scorecard
NCSU acceptance rate & admissions
Of 40,049 applicants, North Carolina State University at Raleigh admitted 15,958 and 5,728 enrolled (IPEDS, Fall 2023 entering class). The middle half of enrolled first-year students scored 1300–1470 on the SAT or 28–32 on the ACT.
IPEDS Admissions, Fall 2023 entering class
Test scores: College Scorecard, Fall 2024. Other figures: College Scorecard; IPEDS
NCSU tuition, cost & net price
What families actually pay per year, by income
Average net price after grants and scholarships for North Carolina residents who receive federal aid. Tap your income band.
College Scorecard, latest reported year (in-state, federal aid recipients)
Sticker price (before aid)
IPEDS 2023-24 cost items; total from College Scorecard
College Scorecard; Urban Institute Education Data Portal
What NCSU costs to finish, and how fast it pays back
Graduates of North Carolina State University at Raleigh took 4.2 years on average to finish, so the yearly price adds up to the total below. Payback compares former students' earnings with what high school graduates earn in North Carolina. The figures follow your residency and income choices above.
| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0–30k | $6,382 | $27,060 | under 1 year |
| $30–48k | $8,758 | $37,134 | 1.1 years |
| $48–75k | $13,334 | $56,536 | 1.6 years |
| $75–110k | $20,087 | $85,169 | 2.4 years |
| $110k+ | $24,652 | $104,524 | 3.0 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.2 years, the average time graduates took (68% finished in 4 years; students who entered fall 2017, IPEDS). Years to pay back = cost to finish ÷ the earnings gain: median earnings of former students 10 years after starting ($68,758) minus $33,516 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in NC (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $35,242 a year. Before taxes, loan interest and earnings given up while in school. Method
College Scorecard (net price, earnings); IPEDS Graduation Rates (time to finish); U.S. Census Bureau ACS (high school earnings). Calculated by EducationGuide.
NCSU majors, earnings & careers
North Carolina State University at Raleigh offers 77 bachelor's majors across 10 areas. Earnings below are for this school's graduates of each major, four years after finishing.
- Science & Math · 26
- Engineering · 18
- Humanities & Languages · 10
- Social Sciences & Public Service · 8
- Arts & Design · 4
- Business & Finance · 4
- Education · 3
- Health & Medicine · 2
- Communications & Media · 1
- Technology & Computing · 1
Highest-earning majors at NCSU
| Major | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|
| Computer Science | $113,478 | $21,073 |
| Computer Engineering | $110,416 | $24,250 |
| Chemical Engineering | $104,705 | $22,244 |
| Electrical Engineering | $102,178 | $24,250 |
| Nuclear Engineering | $100,212 | $23,250 |
| Industrial Engineering | $100,172 | $22,309 |
| Engineering | $99,838 | $30,518 |
| Biomedical Engineering | $98,129 | $18,638 |
Quick list of all 77 majors
- Accounting$83,689
- Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical / Space Engineering$89,932
- Agricultural Business$68,671
- Agricultural Engineering$84,848
- Agricultural Mechanization$60,122
- Agricultural Production Operations—
- Agricultural Public Services—
- Agriculture$53,969
- Animal Sciences$53,226
- Anthropology$45,890
- Applied Horticulture and Horticultural Business Services—
- Applied Mathematics—
- Architecture$76,695
- Area Studies—
- Arts and Entertainment Management$35,867
- Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology—
- Biochemistry$71,136
- Biology$61,384
- Biomedical Engineering$98,129
- Botany / Plant Biology$60,715
- Business Administration$84,349
- Business Economics$82,096
- Chemical Engineering$104,705
- Chemistry$76,978
- Civil Engineering$85,568
- Communications$62,039
- Computer Engineering$110,416
- Computer Science$113,478
- Construction Engineering$94,505
- Criminology$55,303
- Education—
- Education (Elementary / Secondary)$48,824
- Education (Subject Teaching)$57,022
- Electrical Engineering$102,178
- Engineering$99,838
- English$48,338
- Environmental / Natural Resources Management and Policy—
- Environmental Control Technologies / Technicians$66,491
- Environmental Design$69,851
- Environmental Engineering$85,808
- Environmental Science / Conservation$46,772
- Ethnic / Gender Studies—
- Food Science and Technology$72,782
- Forestry$86,357
- Genetics$55,319
- Geology / Earth Science$61,023
- Graphic / Interior / Fashion Design$61,382
- History$49,500
- Industrial Engineering$100,172
- International / Global Studies$73,362
- Kinesiology / Exercise Science$60,488
- Liberal Arts / General Studies$65,594
- Linguistics$60,031
- Materials Engineering$89,968
- Mathematics$92,594
- Mechanical Engineering$87,112
- Microbiological Sciences and Immunology$64,510
- Music—
- Nuclear Engineering$100,212
- Nutrition Science$75,508
- Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Facilities Management$52,233
- Philosophy$58,285
- Physics$51,590
- Plant Sciences$51,696
- Political Science$62,824
- Psychology$62,032
- Religious Studies—
- Science Technologies / Technicians, Other$89,826
- Science, Technology and Society$67,468
- Social Work$53,209
- Sociology$52,142
- Soil Sciences—
- Spanish / French / Romance Languages—
- Statistics$85,090
- Studio Art$54,007
- Textile Sciences and Engineering$71,837
- Zoology / Animal Biology$38,440
— means too few graduates to report earnings.
College Scorecard field of study, latest release
All majors by area with earnings 1 and 4 years out, and debt →Business Administration → Management analyst
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to grow 10.1% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Communications → Public relations specialist
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to grow 1.8% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Living in Raleigh
Overall prices in the Raleigh-Cary, NC area.
BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
2 bedrooms $1,689. Housing costs 3% above the U.S. average.
HUD Fair Market Rent, FY2027
January and July average highs. 49 inches of rain a year, 5 inches of snow.
NOAA Climate Normals 1991-2020
Highest: tornado (relatively high); river flooding (relatively high); heat wave (relatively high).
FEMA National Risk Index, Wake County
Campus & students
IPEDS fall enrollment; Carnegie Classification; EADA via Urban Institute
Wake County at a glance
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year 2024
Compare NCSU with similar schools
Similar public colleges in North Carolina by selectivity, graduation rate and size. Tap “Why?” to see where the price difference comes from.
| School | Acceptance | You'd pay | Graduation | Earnings, 10 yrs | Price gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Carolina State University at Raleigh | 42% | $17,303 | 85% | $68,758 | This school |
| University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | 15% | $11,655 | 91% | $72,200 | |
| North Carolina A & T State University | 50% | $10,846 | 57% | $44,440 | |
| University of North Carolina Wilmington | 64% | $20,109 | 71% | $54,967 | |
| University of North Carolina School of the Arts | 30% | $14,906 | 78% | $38,357 |
College Scorecard, latest reported year. “You'd pay” follows your residency and income choices above.
Why the price is different
North Carolina State University at Raleigh would cost you $5,648 more per year than University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, on average.
- Higher sticker price at North Carolina State University at Raleigh, mostly from higher housing & meal costs (+$703).
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill gives aided families $5,278 more in grants, on average.
| Per year, North Carolina resident | NCSU | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition & fees | $8,799 | $8,994 | −$195 |
| Books & supplies | $869 | $1,290 | −$421 |
| Housing & meals | $13,719 | $13,016 | +$703 |
| Personal & travel | $3,121 | $2,814 | +$307 |
| Living-at-home adjustment | −$83 | −$59 | −$24 |
| Sticker price | $26,425 | $26,055 | +$370 |
| Average grants | −$9,122 | −$14,400 | +$5,278 |
| You pay | $17,303 | $11,655 | +$5,648 |
“+” means NCSU costs more; “−” means it costs less. Grants are the sticker price minus the net price. Cost items: IPEDS, on-campus budget. Sticker and net price: College Scorecard, latest reported year; the adjustment reconciles the two. Net price is an average for first-time, full-time students receiving federal aid, not a quote.
Common questions about NCSU
What is the NCSU acceptance rate?
North Carolina State University at Raleigh accepts 42% of applicants (College Scorecard). In the latest IPEDS admissions year, 15,958 of 40,049 applicants were admitted. The middle half of enrolled first-year students scored 1300–1470 on the SAT or 28–32 on the ACT.
How much does North Carolina State University at Raleigh cost per year?
The sticker price (cost of attendance) is $26,425 a year for in-state students. After grants and scholarships, students receiving federal aid pay $17,303 a year on average; families earning $0–30k pay $6,382 and families earning $110k+ pay $24,652.
How much do NCSU graduates earn?
Former North Carolina State University at Raleigh students earn a median $68,758 ten years after starting college, compared with a U.S. median of $53,263 across the colleges we cover.
What is the NCSU graduation rate?
85% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years, and 94% return for their second year.
How long does a NCSU degree take to pay off?
For a family earning $48–75k, finishing at North Carolina State University at Raleigh costs about $56,536 after grants ($13,334 a year for 4.2 years, the average time graduates took). Former students earn a median $68,758 ten years after starting, $35,242 more than high school graduates in North Carolina ($33,516), so the cost is repaid in 1.6 years of that gain, before taxes and interest (EducationGuide calculation).
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Sources on this page: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and IPEDS; U.S. Census Bureau (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS, Employment Projections); Bureau of Economic Analysis; HUD; NOAA; FEMA; Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-By); Wikidata. “Colleges we cover” means colleges awarding bachelor's degrees to at least 100 undergraduates. Averages are not quotes; confirm costs with the school. How we score
Data: download this school's data (JSON) · Markdown · all datasets
Cite this: “North Carolina State University at Raleigh: cost, admissions and outcomes,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/north-carolina-state-university-at-raleigh (College Scorecard and IPEDS data).