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By the numbers

Quick facts

  • 20,885undergraduate students
  • 11,553graduate and professional students
  • 1stand only public university in the United States to award degrees in the 18th century
  • 85doctoral degree programs
  • 79bachelor's degree programs
  • 159master's degree programs
  • 371,000living alumni in 50 states and D.C. and 152 countries
  • 4,374faculty members
  • 10,141staff members

The Carolina experience

  • Four students talking and sitting on the lawn of McCorkle Place on the campus of UNC-Chapel Hill

    It's always a great day to be a Tar Heel

    “It’s a great day to be a Tar Heel” is a phrase you’ll often hear around Carolina, and for a good reason. Every day, Tar Heels create a positive impact on the world by improving their communities and inspiring change through their talents. They’re artists, scientists, humanitarians, researchers and innovators doing extraordinary things.

    Meet some of our students and alumni to find out why every day really is a great day to be a Tar Heel.

  • Headshots of Massey winners: Kathy Moore, James Brower, Susan Gaylord, Kim Miles, Gail Moriarty, James Glass

    Faculty and staff excellence

    Established in 1980 by the late C. Knox Massey ’25 of Durham, the C. Knox Massey Distinguished Service Award recognizes “unusual, meritorious or superior contributions” by University employees.

    Learn more about the faculty and staff who make Carolina so special.

  • The Bell Tower lit up with blue lights.

    Timeless Traditions

    The nation's first public university, UNC-Chapel Hill is home to centuries-old traditions and experiences that connect generations of Tar Heels.

    Watch the Bell Tower lighting the night before the first day of class, go for a stroll on Franklin Street and cheer on the Tar Heels in Kenan Stadium.

    Learn more about the places and experiences that make the Tar Heel experience so special.

Two Nobel Laureates

Dr. Aziz Sancar, co-recipient of the 2015 Nobel Prize in Chemistry, and Dr. Oliver Smithies (1925-2017), co-recipient of the 2007 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine.

Oliver Smithes and Aziz Sancar look at their Nobel Prize Medals.

Celebrating the Class of 2025

More than 6,800 Tar Heels, including undergraduate, graduate and professional students, had their Carolina degrees conferred at Spring Commencement on May 10.

Meet our newest alumni

Graduates hug and hold their caps in the air as fireworks go off behind them at Spring Commencement.

Student achievement

    Affordability

    Carolina is one of the nation’s few public flagship campuses to practice need-blind admissions and make the promise of a Carolina education possible for all students who earn admission, regardless of their financial means. UNC-Chapel Hill has ranked No. 1 for best value among public institutions according to U.S. News & World Report for 21 straight years.

    The Carolina Covenant, which just celebrated its 20th anniversary, has offered lower-income students who earn admission the opportunity to graduate debt-free. In fall 2024, Carolina began covering out-of-pocket costs for tuition and mandatory fees for North Carolina undergraduates whose families make less than $80,000 per year and have typical assets.

    Polk Place at UNC-Chapel Hill

    Inclusive excellence

    At Carolina, inclusive excellence is about celebrating all members of the community, broadening our collective understanding and fostering a sense of belonging.

    Rameses hugs a graduate at the Exitos Graduation Ceremony in May 2025 at UNC-Chapel Hill

    Outreach and Service

    Students, faculty and staff dedicate thousands of hours each year to helping our communities by performing service projects and participating in outreach programs. One hundred and forty students graduated as Buckley Public Service Scholars in 2025, logging more than 72,000 hours of public service.

    Carolina also had nearly 65 advisers of the Carolina College Advising Corps serving 81 high schools to support North Carolinians and help students find colleges where they will thrive.

    Learn more about Carolina’s service to our state

     

    Members of the Tar Heel Bus Tour speak with the owners of McDowell's Pharmacy in Scotland Neck, North Carolina.

    Research with impact

    Carolina boasts a world-class research operation where great ideas turn into outcomes that improve the quality of life for all people. Our work also fuels North Carolina’s economy, supporting businesses, meeting community needs and caring for our citizens. We train future leaders with hands-on learning experiential opportunities in labs and field sites across the state and globe.

    Learn how the University’s research serves North Carolina, the nation and beyond.

     

    A researcher conducts work in the waters of North Carolina

    Stories of Carolina research

    INNOVATION AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

    Carolina is a place where innovators and entrepreneurs make a human, social and economic impact. We make purposeful transformations in the world by putting important ideas to use for the public good.

    Learn more

    • 1,079total Carolina-affiliated startups launched
    • 478Carolina-affiliated startups headquartered in 34 NC counties
    • $19.8 billionin total funding raised by Carolina startups
    • $19.2 billionin annual revenue earned by UNC-Chapel Hill startups (FY2024)
    • 158invention disclosures (FY2025)
    • 15,789jobs created for North Carolinians by Carolina-affiliated startups

    Learn more about UNC-Chapel Hill