University of North Carolina School of the Arts
Winston Salem, North Carolina · Also known as UNCSA · Website
$38,357
median earnings, 10 years after starting
$38,357
median earnings, 10 years after starting
University of North Carolina School of the Arts is a public 4-year college in Winston Salem, North Carolina with 945 undergraduates and 165 graduate students. Its average net price after grants is $14,906 a year (tuition and fees $9,477 in-state, $27,211 out-of-state). It admits 30% of applicants and 78% of students finish within 6 years. Former students earn a median $38,357 a year 10 years after they started, and graduates leave with a median $23,870 in federal student loans.
Updated Oct 10, 2026 · June 2026 data
Net price
$14,906
US median $17,138
Tuition in-state
$9,477
Out-of-state $27,211
Admission rate
30%
US median 78%
Completion rate
78%
Within 6 years, US 58%
Median debt
$23,870
About $253 a month
Earnings at 10 years
$38,357
Rank 2,980 of 5,094 in the US
Cost
What a year costs: posted prices and the average after grants
Net price by family income
Average yearly cost after grants, for students who get aid
- Net price
- $14,906
- Tuition in-state
- $9,477
- Tuition out-of-state
- $27,211
- Cost of attendance
- $26,470
- Students with a need-based grant
- 26%
- Students with federal loans
- 47%
- Net price, family income under $30K
- $3,165
- Net price, family income $30K to $48K
- $7,828
- Net price, family income $48K to $75K
- $11,491
- Net price, family income $75K to $110K
- $20,173
- Net price, family income over $110K
- $25,172
Net price is what students who get aid pay on average after grants.
Tuition and net price by year
School years 2015-16 to 2024-25. The year on the chart is the year the school year starts.
Yearly cost
Tuition and fees went from $8,983 in 2015-16 to $9,477 in 2024-25.
Admission, completion and retention
Share of applicants admitted, of students who finish and of first-year students who come back
Admission and students
- Admission rate
- 30%
- Average SAT
- 1,260
- SAT reading, middle
- 643
- SAT math, middle
- 628
- ACT, middle
- 25
- Undergraduates
- 945
- Graduate students
- 165
- Part-time students
- 1.5%
- Women
- 60%
- Students per teacher
- 6
- Completion rate
- 78%
- Retention rate
- 93%
- Highest degree
- Graduate degree
- Programs
- 9
- Endowment
- $135.6M
Earnings and debt
Compared with the medians of the colleges of its state, of colleges of the same kind and of all US colleges
Median earnings 10 years after starting rank 2,980 of 5,094 US colleges and 58 of 147 in North Carolina (1 = highest).
| Measure | College | NC median | Same kind | US median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Net price | $14,906 | $14,086 | $12,792 | $17,138 |
| Tuition in-state | $9,477 | $6,906 | $8,626 | $11,837 |
| Admission rate | 30% | 75% | 83% | 78% |
| Completion rate | 78% | 48% | 46% | 58% |
| Retention rate | 93% | 72% | 76% | 75% |
| Median debt | $23,870 | $20,000 | $19,500 | $13,271 |
| Earnings after 6 years | $24,537 | $31,569 | $43,105 | $35,656 |
| Earnings after 10 years | $38,357 | $36,048 | $50,314 | $40,813 |
Best-paid programs
Median earnings 1 year after graduation
Same kind: US public 4-year colleges. Earnings and debt are medians of former students who received federal student aid. 64% of borrowers lowered their balance within 3 years. 42% earn more than a typical high school graduate 6 years after starting.
Programs
9 fields of study and credentials, with graduates, debt and earnings
| Field of study | Graduates | Median debt | Earnings 1 yr | Earnings 4 yr | US median 4 yr | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Drama/Theatre Arts and StagecraftBachelor's | Bachelor's | 90 | $23,500 | $21,229 | $48,664 | $39,775 |
| Film/Video and Photographic ArtsBachelor's | Bachelor's | 75 | $26,139 | $24,053 | $41,000 | $43,765 |
| DanceBachelor's | Bachelor's | 34 | $22,454 | $14,201 | $32,463 | $39,980 |
| MusicMaster's | Master's | 31 | Withheld | $19,939 | $54,140 | $48,285 |
| MusicBachelor's | Bachelor's | 30 | $22,084 | Withheld | $34,022 | $42,892 |
| Film/Video and Photographic ArtsMaster's | Master's | 26 | $41,000 | $22,901 | $52,310 | $51,486 |
| Drama/Theatre Arts and StagecraftMaster's | Master's | 20 | Withheld | $27,611 | $56,064 | $49,978 |
| MusicGraduate certificate | Graduate certificate | 12 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | $40,504 |
| Visual and Performing Arts, GeneralCertificate | Certificate | 0 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | - |
In the area
- Jobs, pay and new homes: the county of Winston Salem and North Carolina on Local Economy
- More colleges: All colleges in North Carolina
- Homes: Homes for sale in North Carolina
Questions and answers
How much does University of North Carolina School of the Arts cost?
$14,906 a year is the average net price at University of North Carolina School of the Arts after grants and scholarships. Tuition and fees are $9,477 for in-state students and $27,211 for out-of-state students, and the full cost of attendance with housing, food and books is $26,470. Families earning under $30,000 pay $3,165 on average.
What is the acceptance rate at University of North Carolina School of the Arts?
30% of applicants are admitted to University of North Carolina School of the Arts. The average SAT score of admitted students is 1,260 and the middle ACT score is 25. The median admission rate of colleges in North Carolina is 75%.
How much do University of North Carolina School of the Arts graduates earn?
$38,357 a year is the median pay of former University of North Carolina School of the Arts students who work, 10 years after they started ($24,537 after 6 years). That ranks 2,980 of 5,094 US colleges and 58 of 147 in North Carolina. Its best-paid program one year after graduation is Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft (Master's) at $27,611.
How much student debt do University of North Carolina School of the Arts graduates have?
$23,870 is the median federal student loan debt of University of North Carolina School of the Arts graduates, about $253 a month over 10 years. The median across US colleges is $13,271. 47% of undergraduates take out federal loans.
What is the graduation rate at University of North Carolina School of the Arts?
78% of first-time, full-time students at University of North Carolina School of the Arts finish within 6 years. 93% of first-year students come back for a second year. The median of public 4-year colleges is 46%.
What are the most popular majors at University of North Carolina School of the Arts?
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft (90 bachelor's graduates), Film/Video and Photographic Arts (75 bachelor's graduates), Dance (34 bachelor's graduates) had the most graduates in the newest year, out of 9 programs.
Official public data, June 2026 release. Net price is for first-time, full-time students who get aid. Completion counts first-time, full-time students who finish within 150% of the normal time. Debt and earnings are medians of students who received federal student aid, measured a few years after they left, in the dollars of the year measured; earnings count former students who work and are not enrolled, including those who did not finish.