The Facts: N.C . State defeated longtime rival UNC-CH 13-0 for the fifth-straight year last Saturday. The rivalry between the two Universities encompasses both athletics and academics. 

Our Opinion: UNC and N.C . State are both necessary for North Carolina’s collegiate prestige and both serve a need for the state. Therefore, N.C . State and UNC both deserve flagship status.

The term “flagship” has evolved over the years to include the best and most important members of various industries and institutions. In the educational institution, a flagship is the primary University associated with each state. After N.C . State’s fifth-consecutive win over UNC at football, N.C . State will be the name associated with North Carolina in the near future. However,  N.C . State and UNC share flagship status in North Carolina.

Flagship status isn’t just about athletics, though this is often the criteria used due to extensive athletic publicity. Even if flagship were about athletics, there would still be dispute. N.C . State may have proved its superiority in football, but UNC basketball continuously ranks higher.

In academics, UNC and N.C . State prevail in different domains. UNC is known for its health sciences and law school, and quality of education in the humanities continuously ranks higher than N.C . State every year. But N.C . State holds its place in engineering and agriculture, two areas in which UNC cannot compete.

The starting median salary right out of N.C . State, according to PayScale , is $46,500, while Chapel Hill’s starting median salary sits at $42,100. The median salary mid-career from N.C . State is $83,200 and the mid-career salary from UNC is $79,200.

Though both statistics show N.C . State sitting at a higher median salary, the stats mostly reflect the fact that engineering majors receive a higher average salary than humanities majors. Regardless, the starting salaries and mid-career salaries at both schools are high. No other North Carolina schools come close to these numbers, especially the mid-career salaries.

When it comes down to it, N.C . State and UNC are ultimately rivals because it is difficult to determine which school is better. In fact, neither school is better than the other. The state needs both schools to maintain its high level of educational and athletic prestige, and both institutions have assets which, together, make North Carolina one of the greatest states in terms of collegiate quality.

Neither school would maintain its flagship status without the other, and both universities serve different but equally important needs to the state. When one thinks of North Carolina, both UNC and N.C . State are guaranteed to come to mind.