University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is a very large public R1 doctoral research university located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, with an undergraduate enrollment of 20,752. As a Carnegie R1 doctoral research institution, it supports graduate and professional programs across a broad range of academic disciplines alongside its undergraduate curriculum, with faculty engaged in funded research programs. As a public institution primarily funded through state appropriations and federal grants, it operates within the broader North Carolina postsecondary education landscape and is regionally accredited, making its credits and degrees eligible for federal financial aid. With a 15% acceptance rate, admission is selective. Applicants are evaluated on a competitive basis, with roughly 15 out of every 100 candidates offered admission. Net price for families earning \$48,001–$75,000 averages $8,538 per year. Families earning under $30,000 average $2,004/year — substantially lower. The highest program-level earnings outcomes are in CIP 00 — 10-year median earnings among aid recipients in these fields reach $204,372. The 4-year graduation rate is 92%, 47 percentage points above the national average of 45%. Among students who received federal financial aid, 10-year median earnings are $72,200. FIRE rates the campus commitment to free expression at 71/100, indicating strong speech protections.