10-yr median earnings
$38,357
Federal aid recipients only
Public · Winston Salem, North Carolina
University of North Carolina School of the Arts
University of North Carolina School of the Arts is a public institution in Winston Salem, North Carolina. as a public institution, published Scorecard outcomes are the federal Title-IV cohort view of former students — not every graduate and not a guarantee for any one enrollee.
- $14,906
- Avg net price / yr
- $38,357
- 10-yr median earnings
- 78.4%
- 150%-time completion
- 30.0%
- Acceptance rate
The verdict
University of North Carolina School of the Arts pairs modest former-student earnings with a selective admit.
According to the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard.
- 42nd pct.
- former-student earnings, US
- 30.0%
- acceptance rate
- 78.4%
- 150%-time completion
- +56%
- earnings, 6→10 yrs
City: Large
Carnegie: Special Focus (4yr)
Institution data retrieved July 2026; field-of-study data retrieved March 2026.
How to read this University of North Carolina School of the Arts profile
Figures above come from IPEDS institution records published through the College Scorecard (retrieved July 2026 for institution fields; March 2026 for field-of-study). Peer groups and cost cohorts follow IPEDS ownership sector, Carnegie class ("Special Focus Four-Year: Arts, Music & Design Schools"), and locale, not an editorial shortlist.
Average net price subtracts grant and scholarship aid from cost of attendance for full-time, first-time undergraduate Title IV recipients. It is a defined cohort average, not a personalized price; income-band fields add context but do not replace the school's current net-price calculator.
Earnings use Treasury-linked records for federally aided former students who were working and not enrolled in the measurement year (completers and noncompleters). IPEDS completion and retention use separate first-time, full-time cohorts, so those denominators are not the earnings cohort. Read cost, completion, and earnings as distinct historical measures, not a causal verdict or individual forecast.
College Value Score
C
College Value Score
58/100
University of North Carolina School of the Arts
A 6-metric composite of earnings, cost, and completion outcomes benchmarked against every reporting US college, not a ranking of teaching quality, campus life, or fit for any individual student. See the full methodology.
Earnings D
$38,357
10-year median former-student earnings
Net Price C
$14,906
Average annual cost after grants and aid
Completion Rate A-
78.4%
Completion within 150% of normal time
Debt F
$23,870
Median federal debt at graduation
Loan Repayment B-
67.8%
Borrowers repaying loans within 3 years
Retention A
92.8%
First-year students returning for year two
Each axis is the percentile score shown in the breakdown at left; the shape shows this school's overall profile at a glance.
Avg net price
$14,906
After grants and scholarships
150%-time completion
78.4%
Full-time, first-time cohort
150%-time completion vs portal median (57.1%) 78.4%
Four-year-institution cohort
College ROI Quadrant - University of North Carolina School of the Arts vs peers
Each dot is a college plotted by 10-year median earnings (x-axis) vs average net price (y-axis), colored by completion within 150% of normal time. Bottom-right = high earnings/lower price; top-left = lower earnings/higher price.
How University of North Carolina School of the Arts ranks nationally
Where this school's former-student earnings fall within the full national distribution of every US college that reports to the College Scorecard, not just its peer set.
University of North Carolina School of the Arts: former-student earnings vs. every US college
10-year median earnings, College Scorecard
$38,357 42nd percentile higher than 42% of 5,103 US colleges
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US colleges. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard · Mar–Jul 2026 retrievals
| Metric | University of North Carolina School of the Arts | National rank | Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10-yr median earnings | $38,357 | #2982 of 5103 | 42nd |
| Average net price | $14,906 | #2074 of 5020 | 59th (lower is better) |
| 150%-time completion | 78.4% | #803 of 4858 | 83rd |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 945 | #2235 of 5462 | 59th |
National ranks count every operating US college reporting each metric to the College Scorecard, separate from the earnings histogram above.
Quick Facts
945
Undergraduate enrollment
30.0%
Acceptance rate
1,260
SAT average
78.4%
150%-time completion
$38,357
10-yr median earnings
92.8%
First-year retention
How University of North Carolina School of the Arts ranks in North Carolina
State rank among 147 reporting North Carolina colleges with College Scorecard data, a separate lens from the national distribution above.
| Metric | University of North Carolina School of the Arts | State rank | Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10-yr median earnings | $38,357 | #58 of 147 | 61st |
| Average net price | $14,906 | #76 of 146 | 48th (lower is better) |
| 150%-time completion | 78.4% | #11 of 142 | 92nd |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 945 | #85 of 153 | 44th |
Highest former-student earnings in North Carolina
| # | School | 10-yr earnings | Net price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Duke University | $97,800 | $29,612 |
| 2 | Chamberlain University-North Carolina | $92,405 | $38,436 |
| 3 | Davidson College | $81,400 | $17,379 |
| 4 | Wake Forest University | $78,158 | $28,719 |
| 5 | Elon University | $74,545 | $41,555 |
| 6 | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | $72,200 | $11,655 |
| 7 | North Carolina State University at Raleigh | $68,758 | $17,303 |
| 8 | Carolinas College of Health Sciences | $64,624 | - |
| 9 | Galen Health Institutes-Asheville | $61,480 | $28,602 |
| 10 | High Point University | $61,389 | $38,707 |
| 11 | Cabarrus College of Health Sciences | $58,708 | $17,618 |
| 12 | Queens University of Charlotte | $57,673 | $30,857 |
| 58 | University of North Carolina School of the ArtsThis school | $38,357 | $14,906 |
Admissions
| Admission Rate | 30.0% |
| SAT Average | 1,260 |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 540 – 650 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 600 – 720 |
| ACT Average | 25 |
| ACT (25th-75th) | 22 – 29 |
Costs & Financial Aid
Net price by family income at University of North Carolina School of the Arts
Average annual net price after grants; Title IV recipient cohort by income bracket
- $0 – $30k $3,165
$0 – $30k
$3,165 net price / yr
- $30k – $48k $7,828
$30k – $48k
$7,828 net price / yr
- $48k – $75k
$48k – $75k
$11,491 net price / yr
- $110k+
$110k+
$25,172 net price / yr
What this shows Need-based aid pulls net price down at lower brackets at University of North Carolina School of the Arts - compare the bar for your income band, not the overall average alone.
Tuition & Net Price
| In-State Tuition | $9,477 |
| Out-of-State Tuition | $27,211 |
| Average Net Price | $14,906 |
26.3%
Pell Grant Rate
46.7%
Federal Loan Rate
$23,870
Median Debt
$253/mo
Monthly Payment
Net price at University of North Carolina School of the Arts swings rather than trends
Across 11 reported years between 2013 and 2023, the average net price here has ranged from $11,759 to $14,753 without settling into a rise or a fall. Comparing only the first and last years would read as +5.2%, but the years in between do not follow that line, so the honest summary is the range rather than a trend. Budget against the upper end, not the average.
Lowest year
$11,759
Highest year
$14,753
Most recent (2023)
$12,372
11 reported years. Nominal dollars, not adjusted for inflation.
2013 · $11,7592023 · $12,372
Over the same years, enrollment went +13.9% (792 → 902 students).
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, per-year fields (2013–2023). Net price is the average cost after grant and scholarship aid for federally-aided undergraduates.
Student Demographics
Race & ethnicity
Student body at a glance
52.1%
Female
Outcomes
92.8%
Retention Rate
$24,537
Median Earnings (6yr)
47.1%
Earning Over $25K
67.8%
Loan Repayment, Completers (3yr)
Outcomes & debt snapshot
| Measure | Cohort / horizon | Value |
|---|---|---|
| Completion within 150% of normal time | First-time, full-time | 78.4% |
| First-year retention | First-time, full-time freshmen | 92.8% |
| Median earnings | 6 years after entry | $24,537 |
| Median earnings | 10 years after entry | $38,357 |
| Share earning over $25,000 | Working, not enrolled | 47.1% |
| Loan repayment rate | Completers, 3 years after leaving | 67.8% |
| Median federal student debt | At completion | $23,870 |
| Estimated monthly payment | Standard 10-year plan | $253/mo |
Programs & Earnings
Field-of-study summary by credential
| Credential | Programs | Award count | Avg earnings | Top earnings | Avg debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 4 | 221 | $39,037 | $48,664 | $23,544 |
| Master's | 3 | 47 | $54,171 | $56,064 | $41,000 |
Top programs at University of North Carolina School of the Arts by completer earnings
Median earnings of program completers, College Scorecard field-of-study file
- Drama/Theatre Arts and Sta…
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft
$56,064 median earnings
- Music
Music
$54,140 median earnings
- Film/Video and Photographi…
Film/Video and Photographic Arts
$52,310 median earnings
- Drama/Theatre Arts and Sta…
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft
$48,664 median earnings
- Film/Video and Photographi…
Film/Video and Photographic Arts
$41,000 median earnings
- Music
Music
$34,022 median earnings
- Dance
Dance
$32,463 median earnings
What this shows The highest-earning programs at a school are not necessarily its most popular ones - a small specialized program can post strong median earnings without reflecting the outcome most students here actually see.
| Program | Credential | Completers | Median Earnings | Median Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft | Master's | 15 | $56,064 | - |
| Music | Master's | 17 | $54,140 | - |
| Film/Video and Photographic Arts | Master's | 15 | $52,310 | $41,000 |
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft | Bachelor's | 86 | $48,664 | $23,500 |
| Film/Video and Photographic Arts | Bachelor's | 74 | $41,000 | $26,139 |
| Music | Bachelor's | 23 | $34,022 | $22,084 |
| Dance | Bachelor's | 38 | $32,463 | $22,454 |
Nearby Schools
Explore Data-Matched Colleges
Matches use Scorecard measures among reporting colleges — not state-system recommendations or geographic proximity.
Similar Enrollment and Sector
Other Public institutions closest in reported enrollment, preferring the same Carnegie classification.
Similar Reported Net Price
Other Public institutions with the nearest reported average net price.
Greene County Career and Technology Center
Waynesburg, PA
$14,909 net price · $3 apart
Anne Arundel Community College
Arnold, MD
$14,915 net price · $9 apart
Adult and Community Education-Hudson
Columbus, OH
$14,915 net price · $9 apart
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
Edwardsville, IL
$14,889 net price · $17 apart
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the acceptance rate at University of North Carolina School of the Arts? ▼
University of North Carolina School of the Arts is a public institution in Winston Salem, North Carolina. The acceptance rate is 30.0%. The average SAT score is 1,260. Undergraduate enrollment is 945 students.
How much do University of North Carolina School of the Arts former students earn? ▼
Federally aided former students at University of North Carolina School of the Arts who were working and not enrolled had median earnings of $38,357 ten years after entry; the cohort is not limited to graduates. Six years after entry, the corresponding median is $24,537.
How much does University of North Carolina School of the Arts cost? ▼
The average net price at University of North Carolina School of the Arts is $14,906. In-state tuition is $9,477 and out-of-state tuition is $27,211. Median student debt at graduation is $23,870.
What is the graduation rate at University of North Carolina School of the Arts? ▼
University of North Carolina School of the Arts has a 78.4% completion rate within 150% of normal time at a four-year institution (typically six years for a bachelor’s program). The first-year retention rate is 92.8%.
Is University of North Carolina School of the Arts worth the student debt? ▼
The median student debt at University of North Carolina School of the Arts is $23,870, while former students earn a median of $38,357 ten years after enrollment. That debt represents about 62% of those annual earnings. Among borrowers who completed their program, 67.8% are repaying their loans within 3 years. Estimated monthly loan payment is $253.
Sources & methodology
Public-college profiles lean on IPEDS enrollment and Scorecard Title-IV outcomes. State appropriations are outside this page; the figures below are the federal cohort measures only.
Every number is read live from the Mar–Jul 2026 Scorecard/IPEDS retrievals. Public institutions often enroll large Title-IV cohorts, so medians can be stable — still cohort averages, never a personal forecast. Read the full methodology for how the data is sourced, computed, and verified.
- College Scorecard, U.S. Department of Education - former-student earnings, cost & completion (collegescorecard.ed.gov).
- IPEDS, National Center for Education Statistics - enrollment, admissions, Carnegie class & demographics (nces.ed.gov/ipeds).
- U.S. Treasury / IRS earnings linkage - median earnings 6 & 10 years after enrollment for federal-aid recipients (irs.gov).
- College Scorecard, Field of Study - program-level (credential) earnings & debt (collegescorecard.ed.gov).
- Federal Student Aid (Title IV / NSLDS) - U.S. Department of Education - net price, student debt & aid-recipient repayment outcomes (studentaid.gov).
Where to go next from University of North Carolina School of the Arts
- Compare University of North Carolina School of the Arts against schools with similar outcomes at a lower average net price.Find similar schools that cost less
- Browse every reporting college in North Carolina side by side.Browse North Carolina
- See how fields of study differ on former-student earnings and debt.Explore programs
Public-college Scorecard figures are historical Title-IV cohort averages — confirm current tuition, aid, and admissions rules with the institution before deciding.
Every figure on PlainCollege is rendered directly from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard data, no number is typed in by an editor. Public-institution profiles compile Scorecard Title-IV earnings, IPEDS enrollment/admissions, and Treasury linkage fields — no editor-typed figures. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error on this page. Review the public data changelog. Data current as of Mar–Jul 2026 retrievals.