RALEIGH, N.C. — College is getting more expensive at two of North Carolina’s biggest public universities. Boards at both NC State and UNC-Chapel Hill have approved tuition increases for students starting in fall 2027.
NC State: Another 3% Increase
NC State’s Board of Trustees approved a 3% tuition increase for incoming students in fall 2027. For in-state students, that works out to a $202 increase, and it only applies to new students, not those already enrolled.
This follows a 3% increase for incoming in-state undergraduates in fall 2026, the first in-state tuition increase across the UNC System since 2017.
UNC-Chapel Hill: 10% More for Out-of-State Students
UNC-Chapel Hill’s Board of Trustees approved a 10% tuition increase for out-of-state undergraduates, which the university had estimated at more than $4,700 a year. The board also approved higher fees and housing rates.
UNC will not raise tuition for incoming in-state undergraduates. However, those students may still pay more for housing and fees. Under the proposal, student family housing could rise 5%, and on-campus apartments could rise 6% to 10%.
UNC said the changes would bring its costs closer to other high-performing universities.
Graduate Students Push Back
At NC State’s meeting, a small group of protesters asked the board to raise graduate student stipends. The NC State Campus Workers Union said graduate students pay the highest combined tuition and fees in the UNC System, giving back 11.5% of their stipends in fees.
Not Final Yet
The UNC Board of Governors still has to approve the tuition increases before they take effect.