North Carolina State University acceptance rate, scores and deadlines

Raleigh, NC · public · 27,371 undergraduates

Acceptance rate 39.5% Fall 2025 · ↓2.2 pts
SAT, middle 50% 1310–1440 Enrolled, Fall 2025
Tests, 2026–27 Test-optional From the admissions site

Source: Common Data Set 2025–26 · deadlines from NC State's admissions site.

Chances at NC State
1500
unweighted, 4.0 scale —
Your odds · Regular decision Target
57–87%
  • Your SAT 1500 is above the middle 50% of enrolled students (1310–1440).
  • Only 11% of enrolled students sent an SAT, so that middle 50% may run high.
  • NC State admits 39.5% of applicants overall.

Data: Common Data Set 2025–26 · Test-optional for 2026–27

An estimate, not a guarantee. Save to my list

Acceptance rate

NC State acceptance rate by year

19,514 of 49,351 applicants admitted for Fall 2025, against 41.7% for Fall 2024.

0% 20% 40% 60% 201520172019202120232025 39.5%
Show the numbers
Entering classAppliedAdmittedRateSource
Fall 202549,35119,51439.5%Common Data Set
Fall 202444,04718,38541.7%IPEDS
Fall 202340,04915,95839.9%IPEDS
Fall 202235,56816,77947.2%IPEDS
Fall 202132,99815,66947.5%IPEDS
Fall 202031,48714,55346.2%IPEDS
Fall 201931,13014,05045.1%IPEDS
Fall 201830,35014,21946.9%IPEDS
Fall 201726,98013,85651.4%IPEDS
Fall 201626,45112,56847.5%IPEDS
Fall 201521,36410,77450.4%IPEDS

2026–27 applications

NC State deadlines for 2026–27

Apply with Common App or Coalition App (Scoir). Checked October 24, 2026 on NC State's admissions site. Dates can change; confirm them there before you submit.

  1. Early action Apply by Decisions NC residents by end of December; all others by January 31
  2. Regular decision Apply by Decisions March 31
Every 2026–27 deadline, in date order

Early rounds

Early decision and early action at NC State

NC State offers early action for 2026–27. It does not publish separate early admit rates in its Common Data Set.

Scores and GPA

Test scores and GPA at NC State

Scores are for enrolled students who sent them, not for everyone admitted.

SAT, middle 50% 1310–1440
40011% sent a score1600
ACT, middle 50% 28–32
1Enrolled, Fall 202536
Average high school GPA 3.82
As reported, 98.12% reported a GPA
High school GPA of enrolled first-years (Fall 2025)
  • 4.019.5%
  • 3.75–3.9957.2%
  • 3.50–3.7418.7%
  • 3.25–3.492.7%
  • 3.00–3.240.8%
  • 2.50–2.990.8%
  • Below 2.500.3%

What counts

What NC State weighs

From section C7 of NC State's Common Data Set 2025–26.

Very important

  • Course rigor
  • GPA

Important

  • Class rank

Considered

  • Test scores
  • Essays
  • Recommendations
  • Activities
  • Talent or ability
  • Character
  • First-generation status
  • Where you live
  • State residency
  • Volunteer work
  • Work experience

Not considered

  • Interview
  • Alumni relation
  • Religious affiliation
  • Demonstrated interest

Waitlist

NC State waitlist

10,710 students were offered a place on the waitlist for Fall 2025, 4,311 accepted it, and 476 were admitted from it (11.0% of those who stayed on).

Cost

What NC State costs

From the College Scorecard. For your own estimate, use NC State's net price calculator.

Tuition, in-state$8,815
Per year
Tuition, out-of-state$33,780
Per year
Average net price$16,486
After grants, aided students
Open NC State's net price calculator

Compare

Colleges with a similar acceptance rate

Close to NC State's 39.5%, from the same official data.

FAQ

Questions about NC State admissions

What is NC State's acceptance rate?

NC State admitted 19,514 of 49,351 first-year applicants for Fall 2025, an acceptance rate of 39.5%. That is down from 41.7% for Fall 2024. Source: Common Data Set 2025–26.

Is NC State test-optional for 2026–27?

Yes. NC State is test-optional for 2026–27: you can apply with or without SAT or ACT scores.

When are NC State's application deadlines for 2026–27?

Early action: November 1, 2026; Regular decision: January 15, 2027. Check NC State's admissions site before you apply, as dates can change.

What SAT score do you need for NC State?

There is no cutoff. The middle 50% of enrolled first-years scored 1310–1440 on the SAT (Fall 2025), and 11% of them sent a score. A score at or above 1440 is in the top quarter of enrolled students.

Where the numbers come from

Sources

Odds are estimates from public data, shown as a range. An estimate, not a guarantee.

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