Match #1
William & Mary
Williamsburg, VA
Profile closeness33/100
Admit rate34%
- 7,055 students
- Public
- Suburb: Small
- Same control type (public)
The colleges most similar to University of North Carolina at Asheville are William & Mary, SUNY at Purchase College, and North Carolina Central University. University of North Carolina at Asheville admits 92% of applicants and has an average net price of $14,999 a year; 6 of its 10 alternatives cost less and 1 admit a larger share of applicants, in the CollegesRef 2026–27 edition.
Profile closeness (0–100) compares graduation rate, size, admit rate, net price, Carnegie class, and control with University of North Carolina at Asheville. The order also uses CollegesRef matching tiers, so a later match can score higher. Admit-rate bars use a 0–100% scale.
Top 10 alternatives to University of North Carolina at Asheville
Row-wise results ranked by similarity. No curated AI list exists for this school.
Match #2
SUNY at Purchase College
Purchase, NY
Profile closeness82/100
Admit rate74%
- 3,197 students
- Public
- Suburb: Large
- Enrollment 3,197 students, close to 2,910
- Same Carnegie classification
Match #3
North Carolina Central University
Durham, NC
Profile closeness77/100
Admit rate87%
- 6,081 students
- Public
- City: Large
- Graduation rate 47%, close to 52%
- Acceptance rate 87%, close to 92%
Match #4
Winston-Salem State University
Winston-Salem, NC
Profile closeness76/100
Admit rate78%
- 4,170 students
- Public
- City: Midsize
- Graduation rate 47%, close to 52%
- Enrollment 4,170 students, close to 2,910
Match #5
University of North Carolina at Pembroke
Pembroke, NC
Profile closeness75/100
Admit rate93%
- 5,330 students
- Public
- Town: Distant
- Graduation rate 44%, close to 52%
- Acceptance rate 93%, close to 92%
Match #6
Elizabeth City State University
Elizabeth City, NC
Profile closeness74/100
Admit rate64%
- 1,975 students
- Public
- Town: Distant
- Graduation rate 46%, close to 52%
- Enrollment 1,975 students, close to 2,910
Match #7
Fayetteville State University
Fayetteville, NC
Profile closeness66/100
Admit rate82%
- 5,762 students
- Public
- City: Midsize
- Acceptance rate 82%, close to 92%
- Same control type (public)
Match #8
Western Carolina University
Cullowhee, NC
Profile closeness63/100
Admit rate82%
- 10,024 students
- Public
- Town: Distant
- Average net price $13,025, close to $14,999
- Same control type (public)
Match #9
University of North Carolina at Greensboro
Greensboro, NC
Profile closeness63/100
Admit rate89%
- 14,062 students
- Public
- City: Large
- Graduation rate 58%, close to 52%
- Acceptance rate 89%, close to 92%
Match #10
East Carolina University
Greenville, NC
Profile closeness55/100
Admit rate89%
- 19,896 students
- Public
- City: Small
- Acceptance rate 89%, close to 92%
- Average net price $16,880, close to $14,999
Questions about University of North Carolina at Asheville alternatives
What colleges are similar to University of North Carolina at Asheville?
The closest matches to University of North Carolina at Asheville are William & Mary, SUNY at Purchase College, North Carolina Central University, Winston-Salem State University, and University of North Carolina at Pembroke. CollegesRef ranks them on admissions, cost, graduation rate, size, and campus profile using IPEDS and College Scorecard data.
Is University of North Carolina at Asheville hard to get into?
University of North Carolina at Asheville admitted 92% of its 4,550 applicants in the CollegesRef 2026–27 edition, so it is not very selective: it admits most applicants. 1 of its 10 closest alternatives admit a larger share of applicants.
Which University of North Carolina at Asheville alternatives cost less?
6 of the 10 closest alternatives have a lower average net price than University of North Carolina at Asheville ($14,999 a year), including Elizabeth City State University ($8,048), Fayetteville State University ($8,500), and University of North Carolina at Pembroke ($10,522). Net price is what first-time, full-time students paid after grants; your own price depends on family income.
