More selective than 91% 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 $26,470. College Scorecard.
Higher than 86% of North Carolina colleges we cover and 88% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median 54%.
Within 6 years · College Scorecard
Higher than 15% of North Carolina colleges we cover and 10% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median $53,263.
Median, 10 years after starting · College Scorecard
UNCSA acceptance rate & admissions
Of 1,423 applicants, University of North Carolina School of the Arts admitted 471 and 221 enrolled (IPEDS, Fall 2023 entering class). The middle half of enrolled first-year students scored 1140–1370 on the SAT or 22–29 on the ACT.
IPEDS Admissions, Fall 2023 entering class
Test scores: College Scorecard, Fall 2024. Other figures: College Scorecard; IPEDS
UNCSA 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 UNCSA costs to finish, and how fast it pays back
Graduates of University of North Carolina School of the Arts took 4.0 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 | $3,165 | $12,787 | 2.6 years |
| $30–48k | $7,828 | $31,625 | 6.5 years |
| $48–75k | $11,491 | $46,424 | 9.6 years |
| $75–110k | $20,173 | $81,499 | 16.8 years |
| $110k+ | $25,172 | $101,695 | more than 20 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.0 years, the average time graduates took (77% 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 ($38,357) minus $33,516 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in NC (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $4,841 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.
UNCSA majors, earnings & careers
University of North Carolina School of the Arts offers 4 bachelor's majors across 1 areas. Earnings below are for this school's graduates of each major, four years after finishing.
- Arts & Design · 4
Highest-earning majors at UNCSA
| Major | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|
| Theatre | $48,664 | $24,592 |
| Film and Photography | $41,000 | $27,000 |
| Music | $34,022 | $23,143 |
| Dance | $32,463 | $23,000 |
Quick list of all 4 majors
- Dance$32,463
- Film and Photography$41,000
- Music$34,022
- Theatre$48,664
— 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 →Living in Winston
Overall prices in the Winston-Salem, NC area.
BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
2 bedrooms $1,332. Housing costs 29% below the U.S. average.
HUD Fair Market Rent, FY2027
January and July average highs. 43 inches of rain a year, 3 inches of snow.
NOAA Climate Normals 1991-2020
Highest: tornado (relatively high); river flooding (relatively high); winter weather (relatively high).
FEMA National Risk Index, Forsyth County
Campus & students
IPEDS fall enrollment; Carnegie Classification; EADA via Urban Institute
Forsyth County at a glance
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year 2024
Compare UNCSA 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of North Carolina School of the Arts | 30% | $14,906 | 78% | $38,357 | This school |
| Carolinas College of Health Sciences | 60% | — | 100% | $64,624 | |
| Elizabeth City State University | 64% | $6,364 | 44% | $40,026 | |
| Winston-Salem State University | 78% | $13,479 | 47% | $45,344 | |
| University of North Carolina Asheville | 92% | $12,250 | 54% | $44,030 |
College Scorecard, latest reported year. “You'd pay” follows your residency and income choices above.
Common questions about UNCSA
What is the UNCSA acceptance rate?
University of North Carolina School of the Arts accepts 30% of applicants (College Scorecard). In the latest IPEDS admissions year, 471 of 1,423 applicants were admitted. The middle half of enrolled first-year students scored 1140–1370 on the SAT or 22–29 on the ACT.
How much does University of North Carolina School of the Arts cost per year?
The sticker price (cost of attendance) is $26,470 a year for in-state students. After grants and scholarships, students receiving federal aid pay $14,906 a year on average; families earning $0–30k pay $3,165 and families earning $110k+ pay $25,172.
How much do UNCSA graduates earn?
Former University of North Carolina School of the Arts students earn a median $38,357 ten years after starting college, compared with a U.S. median of $53,263 across the colleges we cover.
What is the UNCSA graduation rate?
78% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years, and 93% return for their second year.
How long does a UNCSA degree take to pay off?
For a family earning $48–75k, finishing at University of North Carolina School of the Arts costs about $46,424 after grants ($11,491 a year for 4.0 years, the average time graduates took). Former students earn a median $38,357 ten years after starting, $4,841 more than high school graduates in North Carolina ($33,516), so the cost is repaid in 9.6 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: “University of North Carolina School of the Arts: cost, admissions and outcomes,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/university-of-north-carolina-school-of-the-arts (College Scorecard and IPEDS data).