Ever wondered what it cost to attend UNC 20, 30, or 60 years ago? Thanks to statistics made available online by the Office of the University Cashier, we’re able to share this chart of annual resident and non-resident tuition and fees from 1947 to 2017. Amounts are rounded to the nearest whole dollar.
| Academic Year | Resident Tuition | Non-resident Tuition | Mandatory Fees |
| 1947-1948 | $54 | $192 | $52 |
| 1948-1949 | $54 | $192 | $52 |
| 1949-1950 | $100 | $240 | $52 |
| 1950-1951 | $100 | $240 | $52 |
| 1951-1952 | $100 | $240 | $52 |
| 1952-1953 | $100 | $240 | $59 |
| 1953-1954 | $150 | $360 | $89 |
| 1954-1955 | $150 | $360 | $92 |
| 1955-1956 | $150 | $500 | $92 |
| 1956-1957 | $150 | $500 | $92 |
| 1957-1958 | $150 | $500 | $92 |
| 1958-1959 | $150 | $500 | $92 |
| 1959-1960 | $150 | $500 | $104 |
| 1960-1961 | $150 | $500 | $104 |
| 1961-1962 | $175 | $600 | $104 |
| 1962-1963 | $175 | $600 | $104 |
| 1963-1964 | $175 | $600 | $110 |
| 1964-1965 | $175 | $600 | $110 |
| 1965-1966 | $175 | $600 | $134 |
| 1966-1967 | $175 | $600 | $134 |
| 1967-1968 | $175 | $600 | $151 |
| 1968-1969 | $175 | $700 | $162 |
| 1969-1970 | $175 | $850 | $167 |
| 1970-1971 | $225 | $950 | $177 |
| 1971-1972 | $225 | $1,300 | $177 |
| 1972-1973 | $225 | $1,800 | $197 |
| 1973-1974 | $242 | $1,800 | $197 |
| 1974-1975 | $256 | $1,800 | $197 |
| 1975-1976 | $256 | $1,900 | $212 |
| 1976-1977 | $256 | $1,900 | $222 |
| 1977-1978 | $364 | $2,074 | $165 |
| 1978-1979 | $364 | $2,074 | $165 |
| 1979-1980 | $364 | $2,074 | $202 |
| 1980-1981 | $364 | $2,074 | $235 |
| 1981-1982 | $436 | $2,260 | $256 |
| 1982-1983 | $436 | $2,260 | $266 |
| 1983-1984 | $480 | $2,842 | $286 |
| 1984-1985 | $480 | $3,100 | $293 |
| 1985-1986 | $480 | $3,400 | $314 |
| 1986-1987 | $480 | $3,820 | $339 |
| 1987-1988 | $504 | $4,106 | $341 |
| 1988-1989 | $504 | $4,458 | $372 |
| 1989-1990 | $604 | $5,106 | $404 |
| 1990-1991 | $604 | $5,230 | $513 |
| 1991-1992 | $447 | $6,642 | $474 |
| 1992-1993 | $822 | $7,406 | $462 |
| 1993-1994 | $846 | $7,888 | $608 |
| 1994-1995 | $874 | $8,400 | $695 |
| 1995-1996 | $948 | $9,064 | $738 |
| 1996-1997 | $1,386 | $9,918 | $775 |
| 1997-1998 | $1,428 | $10,414 | $796 |
| 1998-1999 | $1,456 | $10,622 | $806 |
| 1999-2000 | $1,528 | $10,694 | $837 |
| 2000-2001 | $1,860 | $11,026 | $908 |
| 2001-2002 | $2,328 | $12,320 | $949 |
| 2002-2003 | $2,814 | $14,098 | $1,042 |
| 2003-2004 | $2,955 | $14,803 | $1,117 |
| 2004-2005 | $3,205 | $16,303 | $1,246 |
| 2005-2006 | $3,205 | $17,003 | $1,408 |
| 2006-2007 | $3,455 | $18,103 | $1,578 |
| 2007-2008 | $3,705 | $19,353 | $1,635 |
| 2008-2009 | $3,705 | $20,603 | $1,692 |
| 2009-2010 | $3,865 | $21,753 | $1,760 |
| 2010-2011 | $4,815 | $23,430 | $1,850 |
| 2011-2012 | $5,128 | $24,953 | $1,881 |
| 2012-2013 | $5,823 | $26,575 | $1,867 |
| 2013-2014 | $6,423 | $28,205 | $1,917 |
| 2014-2015 | $6,423 | $31,764 | $1,923 |
| 2015-2016 | $6,648 | $31,730 | $1,943 |
| 2016-2017 | $6,882 | $31,963 | $1,953 |
What did “tuition” cover in 1954? Just classes, or dorms and classes, or what? How much was on-campus housing then?
As I recall the “tuition” was actually a library fee and an activity fee (e.g. football games). But not dorms or food. Those were a separate charge. Books were extra, of course.