The educational landscape of **Chapel Hill, North Carolina** represents a diverse ecosystem of 1 institutions, ranging from large-scale public research hubs like University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill to specialized private colleges. For the 2026 academic cycle, Chapel Hill has emerged as a highly sought-after destination for elite academics. Our proprietary analysis of IPEDS data shows an average in-state tuition of $8,980, reflecting the region's economic standing within the North Carolina higher education sector.
Our proprietary index reveals how hard your SAT score works in Chapel Hill.
Annual savings compared to the **North Carolina state average**.
A 1450+ SAT score could save you $9,512/year.
Navigating admissions in Chapel Hill requires a dual-pronged focus on residency strategy and SAT-based merit aid. Chapel Hill is categorized by High academic rigor, which translates to a competitive bar where 1400+ scores significantly differentiate candidates for specialized scholarships. Applicants should focus on the **SAT-ROI Index** to identify specific universities in Chapel Hill where their current score yields the highest financial leverage. While Chapel Hill maintains a competitive **SAT-ROI Index of 248**, the local market requires precise score targeting. The index suggests that institutional aid is concentrated in the 75th percentile of the applicant pool.
In Chapel Hill, the SAT-ROI Index measures how much tuition weight your SAT score can offset. A higher index means your score has more power to trigger merit aid, reducing your out-of-pocket costs.
With an academic rigor rating of High, Chapel Hill universities range from moderately selective. On average, students need to target the top 25% of the local score range for the best financial outcomes.
Chapel Hill's average ROI index is 248, while the state average is 284. This puts it slightly below some other state hubs in terms of raw score-to-dollar efficiency.
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