About
The University of North Carolina School of the Arts (UNCSA) is a public art school in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. It grants a high school diploma, in addition to both undergraduate and graduate degrees. Founded in 1963 as the North Carolina School of the Arts by then-Governor Terry Sanford, it was the first public arts conservatory in the United States. The school owns and operates the Stevens Center in Downtown Winston-Salem and is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.
Admissions & acceptance rate
First-time freshman admissions: how selective the college is, and how many admitted students choose to enroll.
Graduation rate & outcomes
Completion, retention, and the equity gap between Pell and non-Pell students.
Pell equity
Pell and non-Pell students graduate at nearly identical rates, a notably small equity gap.
Source: IPEDS Graduation Rates (GR) — Pell/SSL cohort, 2024 cohort.
Program outcomes
Federal Program Performance Data: how each program's graduate earnings and debt measure up under Financial Value Transparency and Gainful Employment.
Of 9 Title IV programs, 7 pass the federal Gainful Employment test and 0 fail. 2 have graduate earnings too small to publish, so they carry no pass/fail verdict.
Pass / fail distribution
- Passing7 · 77.8%
- No Data2 · 22.2%
- Failing0 · 0.0%
Severity spectrum
Tiers band programs by how far graduate earnings sit above or below the benchmark, from Critical (below −15%) through Safe (above +25%). No data means earnings were privacy-suppressed.
Earnings premium gap
Graduate earnings versus the federal benchmark, worst gaps first.
Near the line (±5%)
Programs within five points of the pass line, one cohort year from flipping.
Debt vs earnings
Median completer debt against median graduate earnings, highest burden first.
Accreditation status & history
Who accredits the institution, current standing, and any past actions.
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges
Action history · 5
- Jun 2024Heightened Monitoring or Focused ReviewSouthern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges
- Jun 2024Heightened Monitoring or Focused ReviewSouthern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges
- Jun 2023Heightened Monitoring or Focused ReviewSouthern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges
- Jun 2022Heightened Monitoring or Focused ReviewSouthern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges
- Dec 2017Renewal of AccreditationSouthern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges
Tuition & cost
What families actually pay, broken down by family income.
Net price by family income
Negative values mean aid exceeds the published cost of attendance for that income band.
Federal aid volume & trends
Pell grants and federal Direct Loan volume disbursed to students, and how they've trended.
In AY 2024–25, 308 students received $1.9M in Pell grants, alongside $7.2M in federal Direct Loans.
Pell recipients · 5-year trend
Loan volume by type · AY 2024–25
Loan awards count each loan type a student holds, not unique borrowers; one student may carry several (e.g. subsidized and unsubsidized), so the per-type figures are the reliable detail.
Student loan default rate
The share of student borrowers who default on federal loans within three years, against the national benchmark.
Of 233 borrowers who entered repayment, 3 (1.2%) defaulted within three years — below the 2.3% national rate.
Default rate vs national, by cohort
* Cohorts 2020 and later read near 0% because the federal COVID-19 payment pause (CARES Act) suspended defaults nationwide. These years reflect a national policy, not institutional performance; the 2019 cohort is the last measured under normal repayment.
Academic programs at UNCSA
Top program areas ranked by completions.
Top program families by completions
Enrollment trends & demographics
Fall headcount, 12-month unduplicated enrollment, and student body composition.
Gender split
Race / ethnicity composition
Campus safety & crime statistics
Reported on-campus crimes over the last three years, including violence and hate crimes.
3-year trend
Criminal offenses by type
By location
- On campus2
Includes 1 in residence halls (a subset of on-campus, not added to the total).
VAWA offenses
Hate crimes by bias
- Race1
Arrests vs disciplinary referrals
Residence-hall fires
Student-faculty ratio
Student-to-faculty ratio and instructional staff counts.
UNCSA vs Peer comparison
The peer institutions UNCSA selected for federal comparison reporting.
A larger shape on any axis means this institution outperforms its peers on that dimension. For acceptance rate and net price, lower raw values are inverted so "more selective" and "more affordable" appear larger.
| Carnegie | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SubjectUniversity of North Carolina School of the Arts | 78% | — | 1,111 | $14,906 | — |
| 67% | 43.5% | 8,369 | $49,465 | Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs | |
| 67% | 32.3% | 1,277 | $46,080 | Masters Colleges & Universities: Medium Programs | |
| 94% | 11.7% | 15,888 | $31,944 | R1 Research | |
| 80% | 78.2% | 48,424 | $16,264 | R1 Research | |
| 69% | 76.3% | 1,989 | $24,100 | — | |
| 88% | 9.2% | 56,832 | $37,050 | R1 Research | |
| 69% | 83.0% | 18,550 | $49,430 | Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs | |
| 63% | 74.0% | 3,333 | $18,913 | Baccalaureate | |
| 91% | 9.2% | 1,073 | $43,571 | — | |
| 89% | 26.6% | 53,864 | $19,857 | R1 Research | |
| 93% | 9.0% | 47,335 | $12,548 | R1 Research | |
| 75% | 85.3% | 45,026 | $25,648 | R1 Research | |
| Peer group median | 78% | 37.9% | 15,888 | $25,648 |
Institutions like UNCSA
Explore the federal data for institutions in UNCSA's comparison group.
- Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger ProgramsMassachusetts
Berklee College of Music
Grad rate67%Admit rate43.5%Enrollment8,369Net price$49,465View data - Masters Colleges & Universities: Medium ProgramsCalifornia
California Institute of the Arts
Grad rate67%Admit rate32.3%Enrollment1,277Net price$46,080View data - R1 ResearchPennsylvania
Carnegie Mellon University
Grad rate94%Admit rate11.7%Enrollment15,888Net price$31,944View data - R1 ResearchIndiana
Indiana University-Bloomington
Grad rate80%Admit rate78.2%Enrollment48,424Net price$16,264View data - Massachusetts
Massachusetts College of Art and Design
Grad rate69%Admit rate76.3%Enrollment1,989Net price$24,100View data - R1 ResearchNew York
New York University
Grad rate88%Admit rate9.2%Enrollment56,832Net price$37,050View data - Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger ProgramsGeorgia
Savannah College of Art and Design
Grad rate69%Admit rate83.0%Enrollment18,550Net price$49,430View data - BaccalaureateNew York
SUNY at Purchase College
Grad rate63%Admit rate74.0%Enrollment3,333Net price$18,913View data - New York
The Juilliard School
Grad rate91%Admit rate9.2%Enrollment1,073Net price$43,571View data - R1 ResearchTexas
The University of Texas at Austin
Grad rate89%Admit rate26.6%Enrollment53,864Net price$19,857View data - R1 ResearchCalifornia
University of California-Los Angeles
Grad rate93%Admit rate9.0%Enrollment47,335Net price$12,548View data - R1 ResearchOhio
University of Cincinnati-Main Campus
Grad rate75%Admit rate85.3%Enrollment45,026Net price$25,648View data
UNCSA Institutional Research office
The IR team responsible for the institution's federal reporting.
The Office of Academic Planning and Institutional Research (APIR) at UNCSA provides information to support the planning and decision-making processes of UNCSA in accordance with its mission and goals.
Visit IR office page- Elizabeth DavisDirector of Academic Planning and Institutional Research
- Elizabeth Davis
- Sarah Michelle Iler
Reports & documents (4)
Dashboards, factbooks, data dictionaries, and other reference material published by the IR office.
- DashboardDashboarduncsa.edu
- DFR reportIPEDS Data Feedback Report 20242024nces.ed.gov
- FactbookAcademic Planning and Institutional Research - UNCSA2026The Office of Academic Planning and Institutional Research (APIR) at UNCSA is tasked with fulfilling data collection and reporting requirements for various agencies while ensuring accuracy and objectivity. It provides data analysis to support institutional planning and decision-making, assisting academic and administrative units with their research needs.uncsa.edu
- Strategic planUNCSA Forward: Our 2022-27 Strategic Plan2022The UNCSA Forward: Our 2022-27 Strategic Plan outlines the University of North Carolina School of the Arts' goals and vision over five years. Inspired by five institutional values, the plan includes core strategies in enhancing institutional sustainability, health and wellness, interdisciplinary work in the arts, and maintaining industry relevance. Approved by the UNCSA Board of Trustees, the strategic actions aim to reinforce the university's foundation and prepare students for successful 21st-century careers.uncsa.edu
Notable alumni of UNCSA (23)
A curated list of alumni recognized for notable achievements across industries.
- Victor BarbeeDance
- Camille A. BrownDance
- Gillian MurphyDance
- Brian Jordan AlvarezDrama
- Diedrich BaderDrama
- Gary BeachDrama
- Dane DeHaanDrama
- Jennifer EhleDrama
- Lucas HedgesDrama
- Tom HulceDrama
- Mary-Louise ParkerDrama
- Anthony MackieDrama
Frequently asked questions about University of North Carolina School of the Arts
Quick answers to the questions most often asked about UNCSA.
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Who runs Institutional Research at University of North Carolina School of the Arts?
About the data on this page
Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.
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