Head to head · North Carolina
Which of these costs less depends on what you earn. At $75–110k and below, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is the cheaper of the two; from over $110k up, East Carolina University is. Sticker price shows none of this.
| Household income | East Carolina University | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under $30k | $10,046 | $2,004 | $8,042 |
| $30–48k | $11,699 | $3,918 | $7,781 |
| $48–75k | $14,904 | $8,538 | $6,366 |
| $75–110k | $20,417 | $16,415 | $4,002 |
| Over $110k | $23,028 | $24,396 | $1,368 |
Green marks the cheaper of the two at that income. "Net price" is what families actually paid after grants and scholarships, as reported to the U.S. Department of Education — not a calculator's estimate. Public-school figures reflect in-state families; out-of-state families typically pay more.
Think you make too much for aid? The real income cutoffs, measured →
Why the sticker price is a fiction — and what families actually pay →
Each year's reported net price grown 3.5% — the same method College Compass uses inside a family's plan.
Listed East Carolina University first, then University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Acceptance rate is the school's overall published figure — your student's own odds depend on their transcript, scores, and high school.
Again East Carolina University first. The four-year graduation rate matters more than it looks: a fifth year is a fifth year of paying.
These are averages. Your family isn't average.
Run both against your student's real GPA, your income band, and your actual high school — odds with the math shown, and what four years would really cost you, side by side. First three schools free.
East Carolina University — every income band · University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill — every income band · All North Carolina public colleges