UNCW Acceptance Rate and Admission Requirements

University of North Carolina Wilmington is somewhat selective in its admission process. The acceptance rate of University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW) is 68.83%. This means that 69 out of every 100 applicants get admitted.

How Competitive are University of North Carolina Wilmington Admissions?

Competitive: Applicants need good academics and extracurriculars.
GPA, SAT/ACT, and AP/IB courses significantly impact admission chances.
A holistic review considers essays, recommendations, and leadership roles.

University of North Carolina Wilmington Admission Competitiveness

To secure admission, you must convince the admission staff that you are both mentally and physically fit for the course of study. More importantly, your GPA, class performance, SAT/ACT scores, and IB or AP courses can help your application stand out. Additionally, if you do not perform well in one area, you can showcase your strengths in other areas, as the UNCW is not very strict in its admission process, so improving other areas will help you secure admission.

As the acceptance rate is above 50%, you still have a chance if your GPA is not excellent. You can make up for a lower GPA by scoring high on the SAT, and ACT, and taking IB or AP courses.

Additionally, a well-written letter of recommendation, your participation in co-curricular and extracurricular activities, and your interpersonal communication skills can enhance your admission chances.

University of North Carolina Wilmington Admission Requirements

UNCW GPA Requirement

The average GPA of the admitted students at UNCW is 3.56. UNCW is highly selective.

Mostly A’s with a few B’s will keep you competitive. Taking AP/IB courses related to your field will improve your chances.

If your GPA is between 3.26 and 3.56, a strong SAT or ACT score is recommended. You need at least a 3.16 GPA to secure admission.

Can I Get Into UNCW Without SAT Or ACT?: University of North Carolina Wilmington considers admission test scores (SAT/ACT) during the application process but does not require them. Although it is not strictly a requirement, the test scores are considered for admission decisions. Hence, it is advisable to prepare well for the test and submit the best scores. Normally, students may appear in the test 4 to 5 times to improve their scores. Hence you are required to plan early and appear in upcoming SAT / ACT tests. Check the schedule of the test and plan accordingly. It is advisable to appear multiple times in the test unless you score well above the average SAT / ACT score of the admitted students, as given below.

University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW) SAT Requirements

Each school has different requirements for SAT and ACT testing. Only a few schools require the SAT or ACT, but many consider your scores if you choose to submit them. The test score policy is already mentioned.

University of North Carolina Wilmington Average SAT Score: 1266
The average SAT score of the admitted students at University of North Carolina Wilmington is 1266 on the 1600 SAT scale.

University of North Carolina Wilmington SAT Competitiveness

This score makes it slightly Competitive for SAT test scores. You need to well to score 1266 on the SAT.

Key Insight:Aim for the 75th percentile (1370 SAT or 29 ACT) to stand out. If your scores are below average, consider retaking the test. University of North Carolina Wilmington allows Score Choice for the SAT and Superscoring for the ACT, giving you flexibility to submit your best scores.

If your score is below 1220, you must retake the SAT to improve your chances of admission to UNCW. It is not strange to appear multiple times for the SAT to improve scores. Colleges don’t mind if you have appeared multiple times, but not more than 5 times.

University of North Carolina Wilmington SAT Scores Breakdown by Sections

Section	Average	25th Percentile	75th Percentile
SAT Math	640	600	680
SAT Reading	655	620	690
SAT Composite	1266	1220	1370

It means that if you have scored less than 1220 then you are below most of the admitted students at UNCW and your chances of admission are very few. But if you have scored 1370 or more, your chances of admission are higher. 25th percentile means that only 25% of the admitted students have fewer scores than this score. 75th percentile marks the score of the upper 25% of the students. View list of all colleges with average SAT score of 1250

Can I get into University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW) with a 1350 SAT?

With a 1350 SAT Score, your chances of admission at University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW) are good but the admission staff at UNCW tests your all-around personality and your academics. Your GPA, Class performance, SAT/ACT/Test scores, and AP or IB Courses can help your application stand out. Co-curricular and extra-curricular activities and interpersonal communication skills are very important. Additionally, if you cannot perform well in one area, you have a chance to showcase your strengths and abilities in other areas, improving other areas will help you secure admission. You need to show better performance in all areas. An equally high GPA, taking IB or AP Courses and your role in leadership activities will increase your chances of admission. However, if you equally compete well in all other areas, your chances of admission are high.

University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW) ACT Requirements

The average ACT Score at UNCW is 27.

University of North Carolina Wilmington ACT Competitiveness

This score makes University of North Carolina Wilmington Competitive for ACT scores. You need to do well to score 27 on the ACT.

University of North Carolina Wilmington ACT Scores Breakdown by Sections

Section	Average	25th Percentile	75th Percentile
ACT Math	25	23	27
ACT English	26	23	29
ACT Composite	27	24	29

Can I get into University of North Carolina Wilmington with a 29 ACT?

With a 29 ACT Score, your chances of admission at University of North Carolina Wilmington are good but the admission staff does not check your ACT Score only. The College Admission process tests your all-around personality and academics. Your GPA, Class performance, SAT/ACT/Test scores, and AP or IB Courses can help your application stand out. Co-curricular and extra-curricular activities and interpersonal communication skills are very important. Additionally, if you cannot perform well in one area, you have a chance to showcase your strengths and abilities in other areas, improving other areas will help you secure admission.

SAT Vs ACT: Which score to send

You can compare your scores in SAT and ACT to the average SAT and ACT Scores of the admitted students at University of North Carolina Wilmington. More importantly, comparing your scores with the 25th and 75th percentiles of SAT and ACT scores will give you a better understanding of where you stand. If your score on the SAT is near the 75th percentile SAT score, then you must send your SAT score. If your ACT score is near the 75th percentile, then you must send your ACT Score.

But there is more, if both of your scores are in the same range, then it is better to send an ACT Score, as in the case of ACT, you can control which score to send as opposed to SAT.

Here is how: When sending the ACT Score, you can decide which score you want to send to the colleges. You could take 8 ACT tests, and only send your highest one. This is not the case with the SAT, where your score report mentions all of your attempts.

View a list of all colleges with an average ACT score of 27.

UNCW Profile

Name: University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW)

City: Wilmington

URL: www.uncw.edu/

State: North Carolina

Type: Public

Zip: 28403-5963

Campus: Main

Accredited by: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCC)

How much does a degree from UNCW Cost?

The average annual cost of the degree at University of North Carolina Wilmington is USD: 25332. As most of the students receive Pell Grants and Federal Grants the average annual net price a student has to pay at University of North Carolina Wilmington is USD: 19442

How can I get a scholarship?

25.1% of the students are receiving Pell Grant and 36.76 percent are receiving Federal Grants. So it is a better choice to go to UNCW and apply for PELL or federal loan grants.

At University of North Carolina Wilmington, you will have no problem receiving any scholarship from the federal government. Fill in the FAFSA application form at the earliest and enlist UNCW as your choice in the form.

How much a UNCW Graduate make?

The average annual salary of the UNCW graduate after 4-6 years of graduation is USD 54967. An average UNCW graduate makes this much after 10 years of enrollment (4-6 years after graduation).

The average annual income of a graduate in the United States is USD: 40595

Less Competitive Schools

These schools have lower average SAT or ACT scores than University of North Carolina Wilmington. If your SAT or ACT score is slightly lower than the requirements of University of North Carolina Wilmington, you'll be competitive for these schools.

School	Location	SAT	ACT
Birmingham-Southern College	Birmingham-Southern College, AL	1218	26
University of Mobile	University of Mobile, AL	1220	24
Samford University	Samford University, AL	1227	26
University of Arizona	University of Arizona, AZ	1229	25
Hendrix College	Hendrix College, AR	1246	27
John Brown University	John Brown University, AR	1218	26
Biola University	Biola University, CA	1250	27
Whittier College	Whittier College, CA	1231	27
Quinnipiac University	Quinnipiac University, CT	1216	27
Eckerd College	Eckerd College, FL	1238	27

Equally Competitive Schools

These schools have the same range of average SAT or ACT scores as University of North Carolina Wilmington. If your SAT or ACT score are competitive for University of North Carolina Wilmington, you'll be competitive for these schools also.

School	Location	SAT	ACT
University of Alabama in Huntsville	University of Alabama in Huntsville, AL	1259	28
California Lutheran University	California Lutheran University, CA	1258	28
University of the Pacific	University of the Pacific, CA	1276	29
Rollins College	Rollins College, FL	1265	27
Agnes Scott College	Agnes Scott College, GA	1276	28

More Competitive Schools

These schools have higher average SAT or ACT scores than University of North Carolina Wilmington. If you improve your SAT or ACT score, you'll be competitive for these schools.

School	Location	SAT	ACT
The University of Alabama	The University of Alabama, AL	1304	27
Chapman University	Chapman University, CA	1316	29
University of San Francisco	University of San Francisco, CA	1323	29
Thomas Aquinas College	Thomas Aquinas College, CA	1328	30
University of Colorado Boulder	University of Colorado Boulder, CO	1301	29

Degree Programs

Bachelor Degree Programs

Full list of All degree programs offered by University of North Carolina Wilmington.

Data on this page is sourced from IPEDS, College Scorecard's latest data as provided in 2024, US Department of Education's latest 2024 statistics, Institute's official websites and printed material as well as additional publicly available sources.