How to Get Into NC State University: Acceptance Rate and Strategies

August 28, 2025

nc state acceptance rate, north carolina state

North Carolina State University is a large public research university that forms one corner of the so-called Research Triangle, along with Duke University and the University of North Carolina—Chapel Hill. With over 28,000 undergraduates, NC State’s Raleigh campus is bustling with activity and innovation. The highly ranked business, engineering, and computer science programs are a huge draw not only for high-achieving North Carolinians, but also standout students from around the United States. Moreover, in recent years, the number of applicants to NC State has skyrocketed and the acceptance rate has declined accordingly.

Given this increased level of selectivity at NC State, the following article will touch on the following topics:

NC State’s Class of 2028 acceptance rate (plus how to predict your chances with our free admissions calculator)
NC State in-state vs. out-of-state acceptance rate
Early Action acceptance rate
SAT and ACT scores of enrolled NC State applicants
Admissions trends from the Class of 2028
NC State’s system for rating applicants
A look at the demographics of NC State undergraduates
NC State’s yield rate
Tips for applying to NC State
NC State Supplemental Essay Tips
How to assess whether applying to NC State is even worth the $85 application fee (for you)

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NC State Acceptance Rate – Class of 2028

Out of a record-breaking 44,109 total applications submitted for a place in the Class of 2028, 18,382 were accepted. This translates to an NC State acceptance rate of just under 41%.

Historical NC State acceptance rates are as follows:

	Applicants	Admits	Acceptance Rate
Class of 2027	39,822	15,750	40%
Class of 2026	35,420	16,651	47%
Class of 2025	32,893	15,534	47%
Class of 2024	31,374	14,419	46%

NC State In-State vs. Out-of-State Acceptance Rate

NC State gives a major edge to North Carolina residents in the admissions process. For the Class of 2028, the in-state acceptance rate was just under 50%. Compare that to the 35% acceptance rate for out-of-staters.

NC State Early Action Acceptance Rate

NC State has recently stopped publishing its early action acceptance data. However, historicallly, NC State’s EA acceptance rate has been about the same as its regular admission rate.

What GPA do you need to get into NC State?

Enrolled freshmen in the Class of 2028 possessed an unweighted GPA of 3.83. Moreover, 77% had a GPA of 3.75 or higher, and only about 4% had a GPA under 3.5.

What class rank do you need to get accepted to NC State?

In terms of class rank, the Class of 2028 saw 40% of its members hailing from the top decile of their high school class. 79% were in the top quarter, and 97% were in the top half.

What is the minimum SAT or ACT score for NC State?

Even though NC State is test-optional, about 65% of enrolled 2024-25 freshmen submitted standardized test scores alongside their application. Within that group, the mid-50% SAT range was 1290-1440 and the mid-50% ACT range was 25-31.

Admissions Trends & Notes — Class of 2028

For the Class of 2028, applications increased by 10% while the acceptance rate held steady.
13% of incoming first-year students were from out-of-state.
17% are first-generation college students.
34% are from the 80 most economically distressed counties in N.C.
The Class of 2028 includes students from 99 NC counties, 46 states, and 43 countries.

Who Gets Into NC State?

Next, let’s take a gander at the demographics for the Class of 2028.

Geographically, the Class of 2028 is from:

99 of North Carolina’s 100 counties.
46 of the 50 U.S. States.
43 different countries.
34% are from the 80 most economically distressed counties in N.C.

Competition is harshest among those hailing from states with endless streams of qualified applicants (the entire Northeast & the West Coast). If you come from a less populated state like South Dakota, Wyoming, or Idaho, your location is more likely to provide a boost to your admissions chances.

Looking at ethnic identity, the breakdown for the Class of 2028 is as follows:

White: 66%
Asian: 9.4%
Hispanic: 10%
Black or African American: 5%

Historically, the top ten majors tend to be:

Engineering
Exploratory Studies
Management
Life Sciences
Animal Science
Fashion & Textile Management
Sport Management
Political Science
Psychology
Criminology

The breakdown by gender for the Class of 2028 is as follows:

Male: 49%
Female: 51%

Although fewer men enter the university, female applicants have a significant edge during the admissions process. Female Class of 2028 applicants enjoyed a 45% acceptance rate compared to 37% for their male counterparts.

NC State’s Yield Rate

NC State’s yield rate—the percentage of accepted students who elect to enroll, divided by the total number of students who are admitted—is 31%, a bit higher than previous years. For comparison, other notable tech-centric public research universities sport the following yield rates: Georgia Tech (43%), Purdue (25%), and Virginia Tech (27%).

How NC State Rates Applicants

Only two factors are rated by NC State as being “very important” to their admissions process: rigor of secondary school record and GPA. Class rank is the lone “important” factor.

Straight from the NC State admissions office:

“Every student has a different story to tell. Although your academic record is a strong indicator of your future success, and important in our review process, it doesn’t always tell the whole story. We want to hear about your background and the experiences that have shaped you into a competitive applicant and potential member of the Wolfpack.”
“We encourage you to take challenging courses your school may offer that align with your academic interests and prove your ability for future success (honors, AP, IB, dual enrollment, etc.)”
We also consider diversity, legacy status, first-generation status, and rural areas. NC State is enriched through the varied knowledge and backgrounds of our students and we expect everyone to give of their talents, skills, time and effort to make NC State an environment of inclusive excellence for all.

Tips for Applying to NC State

If you plan on joining the 40,000+ Wolfpack wannabes for the next admissions cycle, you should know the following:

NC State will continue to be for students who have a weighted GPA of at least 2.8.
NC State admits students “directly into the major they select on the application. First-year applicants can select up to two major choices on the application based on your interests…”
Make sure to select a backup major when you apply to NC State. Certain programs are extremely competitive.
NC State does not offer any type of in-person or alumni interviews for incoming freshmen.
NC State does consider “demonstrated interest” so you may be judged on whether or not you made a campus visit, contacted an admissions officer, etc. Given the school’s lower yield rate (compared to some other elite schools), it is a good idea to reach out to an NC State admissions officer with a question, attend a virtual session, or engage with the school on social media.
Make sure to dedicate sufficient time and effort to the supplemental NCSU essays. In the 2025-26, the prompt is as follows:

Explain why you selected the academic program(s) above and why you are interested in studying these at NC State. (250 words)

For further essay advice, visit our blog: NC State Essay Prompts and Tips.

Should I Apply to NC State?

Those best positioned to gain acceptance into NC State will boast a transcript of mostly A’s in an exceptionally rigorous program of classes. Given their test-optional policy, students with sparkling transcripts can be successful even without SAT or ACT scores. Still, students (particularly those aiming for engineering or CS, and particularly those who live out-of-state) should plan to bring sparkling credentials.

NC State Acceptance Rate — Final Thoughts

All prospective NC State applicants need to develop a balanced college list consisting of multiple “safety” and “target” schools to go along with their “reach”/dream schools. You’ll want to do this in conjunction with a qualified admissions professional, including your high school counselor.

Ready to start building your college applications? Consider checking out the following:

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College Admissions

Andrew Belasco

A licensed counselor and published researcher, Andrew's experience in the field of college admissions and transition spans two decades. He has previously served as a high school counselor, consultant and author for Kaplan Test Prep, and advisor to U.S. Congress, reporting on issues related to college admissions and financial aid.

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