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North Carolina State University

The student guide to Raleigh, North Carolina: where to eat, live and get help, what a year really costs, and the free stuff most students miss.

NC State at a glance

27,371
undergrads
42%
of applicants admitted
94%
come back for year 2
85%
graduate
15 : 1
students per teacher
$77,810
typical pay 10 years in

Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard.

What a year really costs

After grants and scholarships, by family income. Average: $16,486.

Under $30k $6,149
$30k–$48k $6,914
$48k–$75k $10,322
$75k–$110k $18,201
Over $110k $25,674
Tuition, in state
$8,815
Tuition, out of state
$33,780
Typical debt at graduation
$19,500
23% of students get a Pell Grant

Free stuff most students miss

Academics & admin

Academic Success Center

Free tutoring, peer mentoring, and writing support in D.H. Hill Jr. Library. Drop-in and scheduled sessions for 100- and 200-level courses.

Getting around

Wolfline Bus

Free campus bus system with multiple routes connecting all parts of NC State campus

Health & safety

Counseling Center

Free counseling, crisis support, group therapy, and psychiatric services for students

Places

Gregg Museum of Art & Design

Campus art and design museum with rotating exhibitions, free admission for all

Eat

Dining halls, quick bites and coffee on campus.

20 places
Fountain Dining Hall
Fountain Dining Hall
Dining hall

All-you-care-to-eat dining hall with diverse stations and post-modern architecture

2500 Cates Ave
Dining hall
Case Dining Hall
Dining hall

All-you-can-eat dining at Case Academic Center serving the east campus residential community

240 Jeter Dr
Clark Dining Hall
Clark Dining Hall
Dining hall

All-you-care-to-eat dining hall serving the Clark neighborhood

230 Clark Dining Hall
University Towers Dining
University Towers Dining
Dining hall

All-you-care-to-eat dining hall with panoramic campus views on the west side of campus

111 Friendly Dr
On the Oval Food Hall
On the Oval Food Hall
Dining hall

Four-station food hall at Wolf Ridge Apartments on Centennial Campus near Hunt Library

Wolf Ridge Apartments
Dining hall
Talley Pavilions
Dining hall

Food court in Talley Student Union with Chick-fil-A, Panda Express, Moe's, and more

2610 Cates Ave

Where to live

Residence halls, apartments and help finding a place.

8 places

Get around

Shuttles, parking and accessible rides.

7 ways

Majors that pay most at NC State

Typical pay 4 years after graduating. Top 6 of 64 bachelor's majors with published pay.

Computer Science $113,478
Computer Engineering $110,416
Chemical Engineering $104,705
Electrical Engineering $102,178
Nuclear Engineering $100,212
Industrial Engineering $100,172

Source: College Scorecard, field-of-study data.

Your NC State checklist

5 things worth doing early

When you need help

5 things NC State freshmen figure out too late

Watch the video
  1. 1 Your final exam is kept for a year

    "If the final exam papers are not returned to the students, the instructor shall keep the unreturned papers for at least one (1) year from the completion of the course for uncontested grade results." "During this period any student shall have an opportunity to review the exam paper at a time convenient to both the instructor and the student."

  2. 2 A good GPA can still get you a warning

    "Students with a cumulative GPA above 2.0 and a term GPA below 1.0 will be placed on Academic Warning and allowed to continue enrollment." And "Students on Academic Warning or Academic Probation are required to meet with their academic advisers during the first four (4) weeks of the fall or spring term".

  3. 3 Your syllabus is not a contract

    "Syllabi do not constitute an express or implied contract among the student, faculty, or institution." "Rather, syllabi serve as a guide for the course." The same regulation still requires the grading scale and attendance rules to be in it, so read it in week one.

  4. 4 Take 15 credits and the bar drops to 3.25

    "A full-time undergraduate student, who earns a semester average of (a) 3.5 or better on 12 to 14 credit hours of course work for which grade points are earned; or (b) 3.25 or better on 15 or more credit hours of course work for which grade points are earned shall be placed on the Dean’s List for that semester." An F, U or IN in that term rules you out.

  5. 5 Record the lecture — Gus makes the notes, flashcards and quiz

    Gus is an AI college companion built around your actual classes. Record a lecture and it writes the notes, pulls out the key topics, builds a flashcard deck, and makes a practice quiz from what was actually said. The flashcards come back on a spaced-review schedule, so the thing you missed shows up again right before you would have forgotten it. It is free to try.

One more thing

Two religious observance absences are excused

"Students will be allowed a minimum of two excused absences per academic year for religious observances as verified by the Division of Academic and Student Affairs (DASA)". "Excuses for anticipated absences must be cleared with the instructor before the absence."

NC State REG 02.20.03 — Attendance Regulations

Seniors can get one re-exam

"A reexamination in one course may be granted to a senior under the following conditions:" — and "The only grades which can be given on a reexamination are C (+/-), D (+/-), or F."

NC State REG 02.20.14 — Test and Examinations

Gus is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by North Carolina State University. Tips checked against NC State's own pages in October 2026. Campus info last updated September 2026. Stats from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Something out of date? hello@meetgus.app · All campus guides