Tuition for some UNC System students getting pricier, as in-state undergrad rates stay flat
For the eighth-straight year, undergraduate students who are residents of North Carolina and attend one of the state’s public universities won’t see an increase to their tuition bills. But the same can’t be said for some out-of-state and graduate students.
The UNC System Board of Governors on Thursday approved tuition and required fee rates for the 2024-2025 academic year. The board voted to keep tuition rates for resident, in-state undergraduate students flat, but allowed tuition rates for nonresident undergraduates and both resident and nonresident graduate students at some schools to go up.
Tuition is only one part of the full cost of attending a UNC System university. Students also pay required fees, which cover additional services, including health services, campus security and athletics, among others. Fee rates are the same for students regardless of their residency status or level of study.
The board also approved increases to fees at some schools, though UNC System Chief Financial Officer Jennifer Haygood noted at a budget committee meeting Wednesday that a handful of the newly approved rates were lower than what campuses originally proposed to system staff.
Keeping tuition low for North Carolinians has been a priority for system President Peter Hans, who said in September that he wanted the board to keep in-state rates stable for the upcoming academic year and ideally for two more years, which would make for a full decade of flat tuition across the university system.
“Low tuition is at the heart of our compact with the citizens of North Carolina,” Hans said in September. “We can only be the university of the people if we offer an education people of this state can afford.”
The state also maintains a fixed tuition program, which ensures in-state students entering four-year undergraduate degree programs will pay the same tuition rate for up to eight consecutive semesters that they are enrolled.
Want to know what rates are increasing next academic year? Here is the list of updated tuition and fee rates for the 16 universities in the UNC System.
Note: The following rates are for regular tuition and fees only, and do not include changes to graduate professional school rates, which will be implemented for various programs at nine universities, nor special fees, which are charged only to students who participate in programs or activities financed from those fees.
To find additional tuition and fee rates not listed here, check the Board of Governors’ February meeting materials, which are available on the UNC System website.
Appalachian State University tuition, fee rates
In-state undergraduate students at Appalachian State University will continue to pay $4,242 in tuition.
Appalachian State will see the following tuition rates increase:
Out-of-state undergraduate tuition will increase by $637, bringing the total rate to $21,875.
In-state graduate tuition will increase by $152, bringing the total rate to $5,233.
Out-of-state graduate tuition will increase by $1,063, bringing the total rate to $21,904.
“Revenues resulting from this increase will be used to offset the impacts of inflation on supplies, materials, and services, and to provide for new faculty and academic adviser positions to support the growing student population at the Boone and Hickory campuses,” board materials stated.
Appalachian State fees will increase by $24, bringing the rate to $3,163.
East Carolina University tuition, fee rates
Regular tuition rates will remain unchanged at East Carolina University.
In-state undergraduates will continue to pay $4,452, while out-of-state undergraduates will continue to pay $20,729.
In-state graduate students will continue to pay $4,749, while out-of-state graduate students will continue to pay $17,898.
Fees will also remain unchanged at ECU, at a rate of $2,719.
Elizabeth City State University tuition, fee rates
Elizabeth City State University is one of four universities that are part of the NC Promise Tuition Plan, which offers undergraduate tuition at $1,000 per year for in-state students and $5,000 for out-of-state students. Those rates will remain unchanged for the 2024-2025 academic year.
Graduate student tuition rates at the university will decrease to round them to the nearest whole dollar, per a recommendation from UNC System staff:
In-state graduate tuition will decrease by 43 cents, bringing the total cost to $3,375.
Out-of-state graduate tuition will decrease by 13 cents, bringing the total cost to $16,437.
Elizabeth City State fees will remain unchanged at $2,392.
Fayetteville State University tuition, fee rates
Like Elizabeth City State, Fayetteville State University is also an NC Promise school. The tuition rates associated with that program — $1,000 per year for in-state undergraduates and $5,000 per year for out-of-state undergraduates — will remain the same.
Graduate student tuition rates at the university will either increase or decrease to round them to the nearest whole dollar, per a recommendation from UNC System staff:
In-state graduate tuition will increase by 3 cents, bringing the total cost to $3,438.
Out-of-state graduate tuition will decrease by 38 cents, bringing the total cost to $14,503.
Fayetteville State fees will increase by $60, bringing the rate to $2,585.
NC A&T State University tuition, fee rates
In-state undergraduate students at NC A&T State University will continue to pay $3,540 in tuition.
NC A&T will see the following tuition rates increase:
Out-of-state undergraduate tuition will increase by $200, bringing the total rate to $17,400.
In-state graduate tuition will increase by $200, bringing the total rate to $5,095.
Out-of-state graduate tuition will increase by $200, bringing the total rate to $17,895.
“The projected additional revenue will help to fund areas of critical need, including faculty and staff retention, academic support,and student services,” board materials stated.
NC A&T fees will increase by $66, bringing the rate to $3,152.
NC Central University tuition, fee rates
Tuition rates will remain unchanged at NC Central University.
In-state undergraduates will continue to pay $3,728, while out-of-state undergraduates will continue to pay $16,764.
In-state graduate students will continue to pay $4,740, while out-of-state graduate students will continue to pay $18,048.
Fees will also remain unchanged at NC Central, at a rate of $2,815.
NC State University tuition, fee rates
In-state undergraduate students at NC State University will continue to pay $6,535 in tuition.
NC State will see the following tuition rates increase:
Out-of-state undergraduate tuition will increase by $1,176, bringing the total rate to $30,583.
In-state graduate tuition will increase by $378, bringing the total rate to $9,837.
Out-of-state graduate tuition will increase by $1,177, bringing the total rate to $30,610.
“The projected additional revenue will be used to fund faculty retention, provide student internships and professional development experiences, and support need‐based aid and the Graduate Student Support Plan,” board materials stated.
NC State fees will decrease by $96, bringing the rate to $2,265.
UNC Asheville tuition, fee rates
Tuition rates will remain unchanged at UNC Asheville.
In-state undergraduates will continue to pay $4,122, while out-of-state undergraduates will continue to pay $21,470.
In-state graduate students will continue to pay $4,914, while out-of-state graduates will continue to pay $21,236.
Fees will increase by $40, bringing the rate to $3,211.
UNC-Chapel Hill tuition, fee rates
In-state undergraduate students at UNC-Chapel Hill will continue to pay $7,019 in tuition.
UNC will see the following tuition rates increase:
Out-of-state undergraduate tuition will increase by $1,868, bringing the total rate to $39,228.
In-state graduate tuition will increase by $212, bringing the total rate to $10,764.
Out-of-state graduate tuition will increase by $577, bringing the total rate to $29,421.
“The projected additional revenue would be used to fund faculty salaries, retention, and graduate student support,” board materials stated.
Fees will increase by $13, bringing the rate to $1,746.
UNC Charlotte tuition, fee rates
In-state undergraduate students at UNC Charlotte will continue to pay $3,812 in tuition.
UNC Charlotte will see the following tuition rates increase:
Out-of-state undergraduate tuition will increase by $591, bringing the total rate to $19,065.
In-state graduate tuition will increase by $143, bringing the total rate to $4,610.
Out-of-state graduate tuition will increase by $609, bringing the total rate to $19,645.
“The projected additional revenue would be used to improve compensation and staff ratios in Niner Central and the Office of Financial Aid, support and expand programs in the Center for Graduate Life and Learning, fund graduate assistant tuition waivers, and invest in professional academic advising for undergraduates,” board materials stated.
Fees will decrease by $5, bringing the rate to $3,207.
UNC Greensboro tuition, fee rates
In-state undergraduate students at UNC Greensboro will continue to pay $4,422 in tuition. In-state graduate students will continue to pay $5,375.
UNC Greensboro will see the following tuition rates increase:
Out-of-state undergraduate tuition will increase by $605, bringing the total rate to $20,773.
Out-of-state graduate tuition will increase by $585, bringing the total rate to $20,090.
“The generated revenue would offset the impacts of inflation,” board materials stated.
UNCG fees will increase by $68, bringing the rate to $3,114.
UNC Pembroke tuition, fee rates
Regular tuition rates will remain unchanged at UNC Pembroke.
As an NC Promise school, in-state undergraduates will continue to pay $1,000 in tuition, while out-of-state undergraduates will continue to pay $5,000.
In-state graduate students will continue to pay $4,280, while out-of-state graduate students will continue to pay $17,339.
Fees will increase by $77 at UNCP, bringing the rate to $2,648.
UNC School of the Arts tuition, fee rates
Tuition rates will remain unchanged at the UNC School of the Arts.
In-state undergraduates will continue to pay $6,497, while out-of-state undergraduates will continue to pay $24,231.
In-state graduate students will continue to pay $9,696, while out-of-state graduate students will continue to pay $24,399.
UNCSA fees will also remain unchanged, at a rate of $2,510.
UNC Wilmington tuition, fee rates
In-state undergraduate students at UNC Wilmington will continue to pay $4,443 in tuition.
UNC Wilmington will see the following tuition rates increase:
Out-of-state undergraduate tuition will increase by $1,207, bringing the total rate to $21,318.
In-state graduate tuition will increase by $299, bringing the total rate to $5,278.
Out-of-state graduate tuition will increase by $1,209, bringing the total rate to $21,364.
“The additional revenue would be invested in additional academic advising and counseling staff, additional resources to support faculty and students in high demand academic programs, counseling center operating costs, and the implementation of the university’s new 10‐year strategic plan,” board materials stated.
UNCW fees will increase by $38, bringing the rate to $2,809.
Western Carolina University
Tuition rates will remain unchanged at Western Carolina University.
As an NC Promise school, in-state undergraduates will continue to pay $1,000 in tuition, while out-of-state undergraduates will continue to pay $5,000.
In-state graduate students will continue to pay $4,568, while out-of-state graduate students will continue to pay $15,287.
WCU fees will increase by $91, bringing the rate to $3,154.
Winston-Salem State University
In-state undergraduate students at Winston-Salem State University will continue to pay $3,401 in tuition. In-state graduate students will continue to pay $3,872.
Out-of-state student tuition rates at the university will either increase or decrease to round them to the nearest whole dollar, per a recommendation from UNC System staff:
Out-of-state undergraduate tuition will decrease by 44 cents, bringing the total cost to $14,057.
Out-of-state graduate tuition will increase by 39 cents, bringing the total cost to $14,407.
WSSU fees will decrease by $8, bringing the rate to $2,635.
More information on UNC System tuition & fees
More information about UNC System tuition and fees is available at northcarolina.edu/offices-and-services/finance-and-administration/tuition-and-fees.
