UNCW has come a long way from its early days as Wilmington College. We’ve built a national and global profile while strengthening ties to our state, region, and local community. We’re increasingly diverse, driven to see our students succeed, and committed to business and neighborhood partnerships.
- Founded in 1947 as a county institution; joined the University of North Carolina System and became UNCW in 1969
- Accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools—next accreditation review in 2023
Racking Up Rankings
- Added to U.S. News & World Report magazine’s list of top public national universities in 2020, ranking 109th nationally for 2023-24
- Ranked 16th nationally by U.S. News among best online bachelor’s degree programs
- Cited by U.S. News for a “great first-year experience”
- Featured on the Princeton Review’s list of Best Southeastern Schools
See more rankings
Building Academic Breadth & Depth
We offer numerous bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral programs across our colleges and schools.
- United focus on applied learning, with emphasis on internships, research, study abroad, community-based projects and other high-impact experiences that grow critical thinking and hands-on skills
- Strong graduation rates - 83% for the class that entered UNCW in 2015
- Academic programs like coastal engineering are designed to meet regional and national needs
Learn more about UNCW academics
Growing Our Research Enterprise
Students and faculty are active partners in discovery, recognizing that research enriches education.
- Earned Carnegie Classification as a doctoral university with high research activity in 2018, a testament to our focus on expanding research
- More than $15 million in external research funding for FY 2022 – grants and contracts that advance our mission and flow into the regional economy
- Recipient of a $1.6 million U.S. Department of Justice grant to house the National Drug Court Resource Center
See more research highlights
Keeping Wilmington a Great Place to Live
UNCW education, expertise, and events enrich our whole community.
- Year-round slate of arts, sports and cultural events open to the public
- Youth outreach programs like MarineQuest
Find more community connections
Boosting Business & Economic Growth
UNCW is an economic engine for the region and an engaged partner with established businesses, entrepreneurs, and non-profit enterprises.
- Training, mentoring, and networking through UNCW’s Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship (CIE)
- UNCW and Southeast NC are positioned to grow a world-class Blue Economy and the CIE is taking action to implement a strategy to make that happen
- The annual Outlook Conference brings the business community together to better understand the local, regional and national economies
Investing in Our Campus
Over the past few years, UNCW has undertaken approximately $450 million in campus construction – 23 buildings constructed or restored, four parking lots finished, multiple roofs replaced, and two multiple-unit, modular structures built.
- The University Film Center boasts a 4,000-square-foot soundstage and state-of-the-art 80-seat movie theater.
- In 2020, UNCW paid homage to its founding as a school for World War II veterans with the opening of Veterans Hall. The 145,000-square-foot facility houses the College of Health and Human Services and faculty and staff from the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry and the Office of Military Affairs.
- The Student Housing Village has four new residence halls including a success center where students can find academic, advising and career assistance; two classrooms and two makerspaces; dining venues on a vibrant market-like street and a connecting path that guides students to Chancellor’s Walk and the academic heart of campus.
- A significant expansion of Randall Library is underway.
Find more campus info
Helping Student-Athletes Achieve
UNCW fields eight men’s and 10 women’s NCAA Division I teams.
- Five athletic programs – baseball, women’s tennis, men’s soccer, men’s golf, and women’s volleyball – received the NCAA Public Recognition Award for placing among the top 10 nationally in the classroom.
- The program had one of its best seasons in a decade with two CAA championships, four NCAA team post-seasons and four NCAA individual post-seasons.
- L.A. Laker Devontae Cacok ’19 became first former Seahawk to compete on an NBA championship team in 2020.
Seahawk athletics
Uniting the Seahawk Community
Our almost 18,000 students and 2,500 employees join a global network of alumni and friends.
- Like No Other campaign aims to raise $125 million – including 50,000 alumni gifts – for students, faculty, alumni and facilities
- $10 million gift from David and Helen Congdon in 2018-19 was the largest in UNCW history
