- Acceptance rate: 87% for fall 2024
- Average high school GPA: 3.25, as reported by the college for 2024–25
- ACT, middle 50%: 19–22 composite
- Average net price: $13,884 a year (2022–23)
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How does your GPA compare?
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Where you standEnter your GPA
Type your GPA to compare it with what North Carolina Central University reported: an average GPA of 3.25 (2024–25), an acceptance rate of 87% for fall 2024 and an ACT middle 50% of 19–22.
Weighted GPAs above 4.0 can't be compared directly. Many colleges recalculate on their own scale, so use your unweighted GPA here.
A guide based on reported data, not a prediction. North Carolina Central University reviews each application.
North Carolina Central University average GPA
North Carolina Central University reported an average high school GPA of 3.25 for its first-year students who submitted one (99% did), in its 2024–25 Common Data Set. The college doesn't say whether it's weighted or unweighted.
How their high school GPAs were spread:
| High school GPA | Share of first-year students |
|---|---|
| 4.0 | |
| 3.75–3.99 | |
| 3.50–3.74 | |
| 3.25–3.49 | |
| 3.00–3.24 | |
| 2.50–2.99 | |
| 2.00–2.49 | |
| 1.00–1.99 |
An average, not a cutoffColleges calculate GPA in different ways, so these figures can't be compared directly with your own GPA.
North Carolina Central University acceptance rate
North Carolina Central University admitted 15,972 of 18,368 first-year applicants for fall 2024, an acceptance rate of 87%, according to what it reported to the U.S. Department of Education.
North Carolina Central University is a public 4-year university in Durham, North Carolina, with 6,595 undergraduates.
SAT and ACT scores
Scores of the first-year students who entered North Carolina Central University in fall 2024 and submitted them. Half of them scored between the 25th and 75th percentiles:
| Test | 25th percentile | Median | 75th percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| ACT Composite | 19 | 20 | 22 |
| ACT English | 16 | 20 | 21 |
| ACT Math | 17 | 19 | 23 |
The U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard estimates an average SAT score of 1050 for admitted students.
Admission requirements
What North Carolina Central University looks at when it decides on first-year applicants, as it reported to the U.S. Department of Education for fall 2024:
| Admission factor | Status |
|---|---|
| High School GPAYour cumulative high school grade point average. | Required |
| High School RecordYour transcript: the courses you took and the grades you earned. | Required |
| High School Class RankYour ranking relative to other students in your graduating class. | Considered if submitted |
| College Preparatory ProgramCompletion of a college preparatory curriculum in high school. | Considered if submitted |
| RecommendationsLetters of recommendation from teachers, counselors, or other mentors. | Considered if submitted |
| Test ScoresSAT or ACT scores. | Considered if submitted |
| Essay or Personal StatementA personal statement or essay written for your application. | Not considered |
| Other TestsOther admission tests, such as the Wonderlic or WISC-III. | Not considered |
| Demonstration of CompetenciesEvidence of specific skills through portfolios, auditions, or other demonstrations. | Not considered |
| Work ExperiencePaid or volunteer work. | Not considered |
| Legacy StatusWhether a parent or other relative attended the college. | Not considered |
AP credit
North Carolina Central University awards college credit for Advanced Placement (AP) exams, according to what it reported to the U.S. Department of Education for 2024–25. The college decides which exams and scores earn credit.
It also awards credit for life experience, such as work or military service.
Average net price
First-time, full-time undergraduates paying in-state tuition who received grant or scholarship aid paid an average net price of $13,884 a year at North Carolina Central University in 2022–23, according to the U.S. Department of Education.
Net price is the full cost of attendance minus grants and scholarships.
Frequently asked questions
How hard is it to get into NCCU?
Not very selective: at least 3 in 4 applicants got in. North Carolina Central University admitted 87% of first-year applicants for fall 2024.
Is NCCU test optional?
Check North Carolina Central University's admissions website for the current rule: testing policies change from year to year. North Carolina Central University was test optional: it considered SAT or ACT scores if you sent them, according to its filing with the U.S. Department of Education (fall 2024). Of its fall 2024 first-year students, 3% sent ACT scores.
How much does GPA matter at NCCU?
A lot: North Carolina Central University requires high school GPA and high school record. It considers high school class rank, college preparatory program, recommendations and test scores if you send them. It doesn't consider essay or personal statement, other tests, demonstration of competencies, work experience and legacy status. That's what it reported to the U.S. Department of Education for fall 2024.
Is a 3.0 GPA good enough for NCCU?
It would be within the usual range there: 35.9% of North Carolina Central University's first-year students who submitted a GPA had one below 3.0, as the college reported in its 2024–25 Common Data Set, and it admitted 87% of applicants for fall 2024. Colleges calculate GPA in different ways, so compare on the same scale and look at your courses and test scores too.
What percent of applicants does NCCU accept?
North Carolina Central University's acceptance rate was 87% for fall 2024: it admitted 15,972 of 18,368 first-year applicants, it said in its report to the U.S. Department of Education.
What are NCCU's ACT score ranges?
The middle 50% of North Carolina Central University's fall 2024 first-year students who sent scores had ACT composite 19–22, according to what the college reported to the U.S. Department of Education. A quarter scored below that range.
What GPA do most NCCU students have?
32.4% of North Carolina Central University's first-year students who submitted a high school GPA had 3.50 or higher, and the largest group (33.7%) had 2.50–2.99, as the college reported in its 2024–25 Common Data Set. The college doesn't say whether these GPAs are weighted or unweighted.
Is there a minimum GPA for NCCU?
North Carolina Central University doesn't set a minimum GPA we could verify. Its first-year students averaged 3.25, as reported by the college in its 2024–25 Common Data Set. The college doesn't say whether that average is weighted or unweighted.
Can you get college credit for AP scores at NCCU?
Yes. North Carolina Central University awards college credit for Advanced Placement (AP) exams, it said in its report to the U.S. Department of Education for 2024–25. The college decides which exams and scores earn credit.
What is the average net price at NCCU?
First-time, full-time undergraduates paying in-state tuition who received grant or scholarship aid paid an average of $13,884 a year at North Carolina Central University in 2022–23, according to the U.S. Department of Education. Net price is the cost of attendance minus grants and scholarships.
Before you apply, check NCCU's official admissions site: requirements can differ by program and change from year to year.
Sources
- College Navigator: North Carolina Central UniversityU.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, IPEDS (2024–25 provisional data): admissions, test scores and admission factors for fall 2024, undergraduate enrollment for fall 2024, net price for 2022–23 and credit policies for 2024–25.
- North Carolina Central University Common Data Set 2024–25North Carolina Central University: average high school GPA of first-year students and how their GPAs were spread.
- College Scorecard dataAverage SAT: an estimate by the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard (June 10, 2026 release).
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