Fast Facts

NC State creates prosperity for North Carolina and the nation through an innovative community of faculty, staff and students. Our land-grant roots help us thrive in agriculture and engineering, and have grown us into a pre-eminent research enterprise that excels across disciplines.

More than 35,000 undergraduate and graduate students learn by doing — pursuing original research, starting new companies, and serving their communities. Our 9,000 faculty and staff are world leaders in their fields, bridging the divides between academic disciplines and training high-caliber students to meet tomorrow’s challenges. Together, they forge powerful partnerships External Link with government, industry, nonprofits and academia to remake our world for the better.

NC State adds $6.5 billion to the statewide economy External Link each year. We’re ranked among the nation’s best values for universities by Princeton Review External Link; the No. 1 best college for your money in North Carolina by Money magazine, No. 9 for best value in public higher education by Kiplinger’s Personal Finance and we’re on CNBC Make It’s External Link list of top 50 colleges that pay off the most . Those are just a few reasons for the Wolfpack community to be proud, and there are many more.

Our Fast Facts data is updated yearly each fall after the Fall Census.

Our Mission, Vision, and Values

Mission

As a research-extensive land-grant university, North Carolina State University is dedicated to excellent teaching, the creation and application of knowledge, and engagement with public and private partners. By uniting our strength in science and technology with a commitment to excellence in a comprehensive range of disciplines, NC State promotes an integrated approach to problem solving that transforms lives and provides leadership for social, economic, and technological development across North Carolina and around the world.

Approved by:

  • NC State University Board of Trustees, 4/22/11
  • UNC Board of Governors, 6/10/11

Vision

As a preeminent public research university, NC State University will be increasingly recognized nationally and internationally for its innovation in education, research, scholarship and engagement that solves the world’s most critical challenges. NC State will be known as a diverse, equitable and inclusive community that has a transformative impact on society and advances the greater good.

Values

  • Excellence — in innovation, education and discovery, reflected in our unwavering commitment to pursue research and scholarship that solve problems and advance the greater good.
  • Community — in how we respect and care for all within our university community, value the contributions of every member of our Wolfpack, promote health and well-being, and help one another succeed.
  • Inclusion — through a culture that promotes personal excellence and institutional equity by seeking, welcoming and supporting individuals and ideas from a broad diversity of backgrounds.
  • Freedom — in thought, speech, expression, inquiry and dialogue as a critical part of our mission to pursue and disseminate knowledge while promoting civil and respectful discourse.
  • Integrity — in all we do, reflected in our commitment to the highest standards of ethical behavior and our dedication to transparency and accountability in governance.
  • Collaboration — across colleges and divisions, disciplines and perspectives, and in how we partner with a broad range of organizations to find solutions to challenges at home and around the world.
  • Sustainability — in our commitment to wise stewardship of resources, prudent financial planning and environmentally responsible operations.

Our Students

First Year Profile

Enrollment

Degrees

39,981

15,889

5,655

Applied Admitted Enrolled

38,442

Total Enrollment

10,682

Total Degrees Awarded

  • Average HS GPA (weighted): 4.34
  • Average HS GPA (unweighted): 3.85
  • Average SAT score: 1,344
  • Average ACT score: 28
  • Students from NC rural counties: 24.3%
  • # Spring Connection students: 310
  • First-year retention rate: 93.1%
  • Career/Degree
    • Agricultural Institute: 236 / 0.6%
    • Bachelors: 26,329 / 68.5%
    • Undergrad non-degree studies: 1,635 / 4.3%
    • Undergrad certificate: 169 / 0.4%
    • Masters: 5,425 / 14.1%
    • Doctoral: 3,632 / 9.4%
    • Veterinary Medicine (DVM): 422 / 1.1%
    • Graduate non-degree studies: 354 / 0.9%
    • Graduate Certificate: 240 / 0.6%
  • In-state vs out-of-state
    • In-state: 30,551 / 79.5%
    • Out-of-state: 7,891 / 20.5%
  • Career/Degree
    • Agricultural Institute: 90 / 0.8%
    • Bachelors: 6,367 / 59.6%
    • Masters: 2,985 / 27.9%
    • Doctoral: 594 / 5.6%
    • Veterinary Medicine (DVM): 93 / 0.9%
    • Undergrad certificates: 80 / 0.8%
    • Graduate certificates: 473 / 4.4%
  • By term
    • Fall: 2,817 / 26.4%
    • Spring: 6,819 / 63.8%
    • Summer I: 202 / 1.9%
    • Summer II: 844 / 7.9%
  • Six-year graduation rate: 85.3%
Data reflects Fall 2023 Census Data reflects Fall 2023 Census Data reflects 2022-2023 Academic Year
Learn more about enrollment at NC State External Link Learn more about student success at NC State

 

Our Faculty and Staff

Faculty
2,537

Staff
7,501

  • Categories
    • Professor: 838 / 33%
    • Associate Professor: 519 / 20.5%
    • Assistant Professor: 589 / 23.2%
    • Lecturer: 378 / 14.9%
    • Field faculty: 121 / 4.8%
    • Librarian: 92 / 3.6%
  • Type
    • Tenured faculty: 1,078 / 42.5%
    • Tenure-track faculty: 365 / 14.4%
    • Professional: 1051 / 41.4%
    • Phased Retirement: 43 / 1.7%
  • Full-time vs Part-time
    • Full-time faculty: 2,231 / 87.9%
    • Part-time faculty: 306 / 12.1%
  • Full-time vs Part-time
    • Full-time staff: 7,462 / 99.5%
    • Part-time staff: 39 / 0.5%
  • Graduate Assistants: 3,465
Data reflects Fall 2023 HR Census Data reflects Fall 2023 HR Census

Our Colleges and Programs

Colleges and Their Enrollments

Programs and Departments

  • College of Agriculture and Life Sciences: 3,898 / 10.1%
  • College of Design: 967 / 2.5%
  • College of Education: 1,711 / 4.5%
  • College of Engineering: 11,538 / 30.0%
  • College of Humanities and Social Sciences: 4,725 / 12.3%
  • College of Natural Resources: 2,092 / 5.4%
  • College of Sciences: 4,190 / 10.9%
  • Wilson College of Textiles: 991 / 2.6%
  • Poole College of Management: 4,478 / 11.7%
  • College of Veterinary Medicine: 497 / 1.3%
  • University College: 1,371 / 3.6%

 

  • Other enrollments
    • Advanced Analytics and non-degree seeking students: 1,984 / 5.2% 
Data reflects Fall 2023 Census

Our University

University Profile

University Impact

#60 Best National University

U.S. News & World Report (2023)

190+ startups and spin offs based on NC State research.

  • #28 in Top Public Schools (U.S. News & World Report 2023)
  • #30 Best Undergraduate Engineering Programs (U.S. News & World Report 2023)
  • #2 Military-Friendly School among Tier 1 research institutions (Military Friendly 2023)
  • #6 “America’s Best Employers By State” for North Carolina (Forbes 2023)
  • #20 Undergraduate Entrepreneurship (Princeton Review 2023)
  • 700+ student organizations
  • $2.035 billion budget for fiscal year 2023
  • $2.02 billion endowment, among the top 90 largest higher-education endowments in the country
  • Libraries
    • more than 2.5 million total user visits per year
    • more than 3.2 million titles
    • 122,737 print and electronic serial subscriptions
    • 765 databases
    • over 14.5 million total uses of the collection in 2022/23
    • more than 3.6 million full-text journal articles downloads per year
    • over1.2 million e-books
  • $476 million in new sponsored research awards for fiscal year 2023
  • #1 nationwide in active licenses and options among universities without a medical school
  • #2 nationwide for startups launched among universities without a medical school
  • #3 nationwide for the share of research sponsored by private industry among universities without a medical school.
  • #2 for Research Commercialization among public universities in the U.S.
  • 1500+ U.S. patents issued, yielding 600+ consumer products
  • 70+ partners on our Centennial Campus
  • NC State Extension Service provides services to citizens in all 100 counties and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians
  • NC State and its students, alumni, and associated startups generate $6.5 billion of North Carolina income annually
  • $212 million in Private Support in fiscal year 2022

Learn More External Link

Academics | Accreditation | Athletics | Budget and Finances | ChancellorDiversity | Faculty and Staff | More Rankings and Facts

Learn More External Link

Research | NC State Extension | Industrial Expansion Solutions | Outreach and Engagement | Partnerships | Technology Commercialization

 

The Common Data Set (CDS)

The Common Data Set (CDS) initiative is a collaborative effort among data providers in the higher education community and publishers as represented by the College Board, Peterson’s, and U.S. News & World Report. The Common Data Set provides many in depth details regarding NC State from enrollment to annual expenses.

View NC State Common Data Set Information