University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

For in-state students, UNC-Chapel Hill is one of the clearest public-university values in the country. The average net price of $11,655 reflects North Carolina's decision to keep resident tuition low, combined with the Carolina Covenant — a program that covers full tuition and fees for admitted students from families below about 200% of the federal poverty line, without requiring loans.

What distinguishes UNC from other strong publics on paper is the completion rate. A 91.6% graduation rate is unusually high for a public university of its size (roughly 20,000 undergraduates). Many peer flagships publish similar net prices but graduate a much smaller share of the students who enroll, which changes the effective ROI dramatically for anyone who does not finish. UNC's median earnings of $72,200 land above the national average, and median debt at graduation of $14,000 is manageable relative to that income.

Out-of-state, the picture is different. Admission from outside North Carolina is limited by state policy to about 18% of each incoming class, and the effective admit rate for OOS applicants sits around 10%. Net price for OOS students runs roughly 3x the in-state figure.

Bottom line: strong North Carolina students should treat UNC as a first choice, not a fallback. Out-of-state applicants should apply only for specific programs where UNC is nationally distinctive — business (Kenan-Flagler), journalism (Hussman), pharmacy, and public health — and where the cost math still works for their family.