North Carolina State University vs Virginia Polytechnic Institute: Acceptance Rate, SAT & Net Price

North Carolina State University is the more selective of the two, admitting 41.7% of applicants versus 55.0% at Virginia Polytechnic Institute. For a family earning $48,001–$75,000, the average net price is about $13,334 per year at North Carolina State University versus $15,890 at Virginia Polytechnic Institute. North Carolina State University's yield rate is 29.0%, versus 25.0% at Virginia Polytechnic Institute.

North Carolina State University vs Virginia Polytechnic Institute: admissions and cost statistics from the most recent Common Data Set, IPEDS, and College Scorecard
MetricNorth Carolina State UniversityVirginia Polytechnic Institute
Overall acceptance rate41.7%55.0%
Early acceptance rate48.0%58.0%
SAT middle 50%1280–14401280–1450
Avg unweighted GPA3.73.93
Yield rate29.0%25.0%
Class size5,4127,289
Net price, $48,001–$75,000 income$13,334$15,890
Net price, over $110,000 income$24,652$28,567

Admissions and cost data as of July 3, 2026 (CDS 2024–25 cycle), from the most recent Common Data Set, IPEDS, and College Scorecard. Rows appear only where both colleges report the statistic.

Frequently asked questions

Is North Carolina State University harder to get into than Virginia Polytechnic Institute?

Yes. North Carolina State University admits 41.7% of applicants, compared with 55.0% at Virginia Polytechnic Institute, making it the harder school to get into, based on the most recent Common Data Set.

Which is cheaper for a middle-income family, North Carolina State University or Virginia Polytechnic Institute?

For a family earning $48,001–$75,000, the average net price is about $13,334 per year at North Carolina State University and $15,890 at Virginia Polytechnic Institute, so North Carolina State University is the lower-cost option at that income level (source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard/IPEDS data).

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