Illinois College vs. VCM

Should I go to Illinois College or VanderCook College of Music? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Illinois College or VCM is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

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Illinois College vs. VanderCook College of Music comparison
Illinois College VanderCook College of Music College 3 College 4
Illinois College
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Overview

Illinois College VCM
Location Jacksonville, IL Chicago, IL
Setting Distant Town Large City
Enrollment 958 340
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation Presbyterian Church (USA) - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ic.edu vandercook.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Illinois College VCM
Tuition (In State) $36,870 $28,640
Tuition (Out of State) $36,870 $28,640
Room & Board $10,264 $7,500
Avg Net Price $17,255 $16,601
Avg Grant Aid $30,139 $22,249
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

Illinois College VCM
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,660 37
Admitted 2,733 36
Acceptance Rate 74.7% 97.3%
Enrolled % 9.3% 47.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.63 3.1
Typical High School Grades B+ B
Admissions Standards Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 19/25 15/20
SAT Range 978/1183 890/1160
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Apr 1, 2026

Academics

Illinois College VCM
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 4:1
Popular Majors
  • General Studies (16%)
  • Biology (14%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)
  • English and Literature (11%)
  • Business (11%)
  • Education (100%)

Outcomes

Illinois College VCM
Graduation Rate 57% 45%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $45,300 N/A
Making Student Loan Payments 79% 66%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $279 $279

Diversity

Illinois College VCM
% Men 0% 32%
% Women 0% 39%
Racial Diversity Medium Medium
HBCU No No
% White 69% 62%
% Black 12% 8%
% Hispanic 10% 21%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 4%
% International 3% 2%
% Unknown Race 1% 2%

Students

Illinois College VCM
% In-State 74% 58%
% Out-of-State 20% 42%

Campus

Illinois College VCM
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Illinois College is larger than than VCM based on total student enrollment (958 students vs. 340 students)

Illinois College vs. VCM Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Illinois College or VCM?

  • Illinois College is 28.7% more expensive to attend than VCM for in-state tuition ($36,870.00 vs. $28,640.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 28.7% higher at Illinois College than VanderCook College of Music ($36,870.00 vs. $28,640.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at VanderCook College of Music than Illinois College ($16,601 vs. $17,255)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at VanderCook College of Music are 36.9% lower than costs at Illinois College ($7,500 vs. $10,264)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Illinois College as VanderCook College of Music (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Illinois College students is 35.5% larger than aid received VanderCook College of Music ($30,139 vs. $22,249)

Illinois College vs. VCM Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Illinois College or VCM? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between VCM or Illinois College .

  • Accepted freshman Illinois College students have a 0.53 point higher average high school GPA (3.63) than students at VCM (3.1)
  • VCM has a higher acceptance rate (97.3%) than Illinois College (74.7%)

Illinois College vs. VCM Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Illinois College or VCM? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between VCM and Illinois College.

  • The graduation rate at Illinois College is higher than VanderCook College of Music (57% vs. 45%)
  • VanderCook College of Music and Illinois College graduates both have the same median student loan debt upon graduation ($27,000 vs. $27,000)
  • VanderCook College of Music and Illinois College graduates both have a median monthly student loan payment upon graduation ($279 vs. $279)
  • More Illinois College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former VCM students, three years after graduation. (79% vs. 66%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/