Overview
North Carolina State University in Raleigh, North Carolina has competed in club esports since 2018. The program is a student-run club rather than a varsity team run by the university. Its teams currently compete in VALORANT, League of Legends, Counter-Strike 2, Rainbow Six Siege and Rocket League. The school does not publicly list esports scholarship terms (esports.ncsu.edu, 2025-26); contact the program directly. Federal College Scorecard data shows an average net price of $17,303 per year, an acceptance rate of 42% and a graduation rate of 85% across 27,371 undergraduates.
Esports details verified 2026-10-08 · Federal data retrieved 2026-10-10
Esports scholarships at NC State
No esports scholarships published
NC State doesn't publish esports scholarship terms. Ask the program staff about athletic or participation awards during recruiting.
The esports program
- Level
- Club (student-run)
- Founded
- 2018
- Conference / league
- Not published
- NACE member
- Yes (NCAA D1)
- Facility
- Not published
- Titles fielded
- 5
Cost & outcomes vs. other esports schools
Compared with the median of all 428 esports programs we track.
| Tuition (in-state / out-of-state) | $8,799 / $32,847 |
|---|---|
| Average net price (after grants) | $17,303 |
| Students receiving Pell grants | 20% |
| Median debt at graduation | $20,121 |
| Student-to-faculty ratio | 15:1 |
Who studies at NC State
27,371 undergraduates, shown as 100 people.
- White 66%
- Hispanic/Latino 9%
- Black 6%
- Asian 10%
- Two or more races 5%
- International 2%
- Other / unknown 2%
- Women
- 50%
- First-generation
- 19%
- Pell recipients
- 20%
Frequently asked questions
Does NC State offer esports scholarships?
No esports scholarship terms are published. NC State esports is a student-run club, and club teams rarely offer scholarships. The school does not publicly list esports scholarship terms (esports.ncsu.edu, 2025-26); contact the program directly. Scholarship terms can change each season, so confirm with the program before applying.
Is NC State esports varsity or club?
Club. NC State esports is a student-run organization rather than a varsity program run by the university.
What games does NC State esports compete in?
NC State fields club teams in VALORANT, League of Legends, Counter-Strike 2, Rainbow Six Siege and Rocket League, according to the program's published information.
How much does NC State cost per year?
The average annual net price — cost after grants and scholarships for students receiving aid — is $17,303. Published tuition is $8,799 in-state and $32,847 out-of-state (U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard).
How hard is it to get into NC State?
NC State admits 42% of applicants, per the College Scorecard.
When did NC State start club esports?
NC State's club esports program began in 2018.
Sources
- Esports program and scholarship terms: esports.ncsu.edu (2025-26)
- Cost, admissions, outcomes and demographics: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, retrieved 2026-10-10
- Photo: Melizabethi123, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Research notes
The competitive teams belong to the student-run Esports Club at NC State (getinvolved.ncsu.edu/organization/esports), formed in 2018 when several campus groups merged. Its 8 teams play other collegiate clubs. NC State's brand guide says the university's 'NC State Esports' program (run by the Libraries, director Cody Elsen, launched with one-time state funding) is separate from the club and has no varsity teams. Titles come from a Nov 2023 NC State News feature, which also names Smite and Fortnite, plus an undated article adding Rocket League. The 2025-26 lineup is unconfirmed. Smash runs as a separate student club. No league names are published. fac is empty because the Lenovo Esports and Gaming Lab (Hunt Library, opened Jan 2024) is a university lab, not a team facility. A Mann Hall arena is planned for late 2027. The logo is a non-free en.wikipedia file, not a Commons file.
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