Research.com
University of North Carolina School of the Arts logo

University of North Carolina School of the Arts

#539 in US ranking Winston Salem, NC
Type:
Public
Programs:
4 years or more

Represent this school?

Update this profile on Research.com

University of North Carolina School of the Arts award
University of North Carolina School of the Arts award

Cost

Cost / year
$27,371
Tuition & fees
$9,347
Avg. aid
$12,314
Receiving aid
79%

Admissions

Acceptance rate
30%
SAT range
1140–1370
ACT range
22–29

Outcomes

Graduation rate
78%
Median salary
$27,135
1 yr after graduation

What does University of North Carolina School of the Arts offer in terms of athletics?

UNCSA is not organized around intercollegiate varsity athletics, and applicants should not assume it fields NCAA teams or offers athletic recruiting opportunities. Its principal performance activities are artistic rather than sports competitions.

Students interested in exercise or recreational sports should check current campus recreation offerings, facility access, and student-led activities. A recreational game or club activity, where available, is different from a varsity team with a conference schedule or athletic scholarship.

What student groups and Associations are available at University of North Carolina School of the Arts?

Student organizations offer ways to meet peers outside a required artistic program. Reported examples include UNCSA Artists of Color, the International Student Association, Women in Film, Art & Soul, and UNCSA LIVE.

These examples span cultural community, artistic interests, and student-organized programming; an organization's activities and recognition status can change between academic years. Prospective students seeking a particular group should check the current student-organization directory. Joining a club is also distinct from participating in an arts school's required productions or an institution-sponsored support service.

Who studies at University of North Carolina School of the Arts?

UNCSA enrolled 1,111 students in the reported institutional figures, making it a comparatively small university with high school, undergraduate, and graduate populations. Its entering first-time degree-seeking undergraduate class numbered 239; another 43 degree-seeking undergraduates entered as transfers.

The reported geographic distribution was 47% North Carolina residents, 50% students from other U.S. states, and 3% students from other countries. Thus, although UNCSA is a public North Carolina institution, a substantial share of its students come from outside the state. Most enrolled students were traditional college age: 432 were ages 18-19 and 391 were ages 20-21. The school also enrolled older students, so those age bands do not describe everyone on campus.

Enrollment totals that include multiple educational levels should not be treated as the size of the undergraduate student body or of any single arts school. That distinction matters when considering class scale, peer networks, and the availability of courses in a particular program.

How does student life look like at University of North Carolina School of the Arts?

Daily life at UNCSA is shaped by the schedules of an arts conservatory: classes may be followed by practice, rehearsals, filming, or technical production work. Students considering the school should weigh that time commitment alongside their interest in a particular discipline.

Reportedly, 59% of students lived on campus and about 40% commuted. Those groups can experience the same productions and events differently, especially when activities run late. UNCSA reports access to a health clinic and personal or psychological counseling, while orientation, campus events, and gathering spaces give new students ways to connect beyond their assigned artistic work. Because the school includes both high school and college students, applicants should pay attention to which activities and facilities are available to their own student group.

What libraries are available to students at University of North Carolina School of the Arts?

The UNCSA Library serves the school's academic and artistic research needs. Students can use it for study and for finding materials relevant to coursework, performance, design, music, and film, rather than relying solely on general web searches.

The library reports reservable study rooms. Students working on research-intensive assignments can ask library staff about subject-specific resources, databases, borrowing, and help locating material not held locally. The reported study-space information does not indicate a 24-hour library, so students planning late rehearsals or editing sessions should check current building and service hours.

University of North Carolina School of the Arts Student Life for 2027

Total enrollment

1111

Full Time Degree Seeking Freshmen

239

Total staff

135 full time, 54 part time

Veterans affair office

No

University of North Carolina School of the Arts Student Body

Undergraduate vs. graduate students

Undergraduate: 946
Graduate: 165

Full-time vs. part-time students

Full-time: 1,095
Part-time: 16

Full-time degree-seeking students by gender

Women: 144
Men: 95

Students by race/ethnicity

Hispanic or Latino: 120
Black or African American: 82
White: 507
American Indian or Alaska Native: 1
Asian: 23
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander: 1
Two or more races: 62
Unknown: 113

Freshly enrolled students' age

Under 25 years
Over 25 years

Data last updated on November 5, 2026

Data sources: IPEDS 2024-25, Peterson 2026, College Scorecard 10/2026, Clery 2024 (2023-24), OpenAlex 2026

Figures on this profile come from federal and third-party datasets in the editions listed above and are refreshed periodically, so they may differ from what the institution currently reports. Confirm costs, deadlines and requirements with the school before making decisions.

Recently Published Articles