UCF vs. UIC

Should I go to University of Central Florida or University of Illinois at Chicago? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if UCF or UIC 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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University of Central Florida vs. University of Illinois at Chicago comparison
University of Central Florida University of Illinois at Chicago College 3 College 4
University of Central Florida University of Illinois at Chicago
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Overview

 UCF UIC
Location Orlando, FL Chicago, IL
Setting Large Suburban Large City
Enrollment 68,346 33,747
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #379 #234
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ucf.edu uic.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 UCF UIC
Tuition (In State) $4,478 $10,970
Tuition (Out of State) $19,810 $25,578
Room & Board $11,498 $14,400
Avg Net Price $13,108 $10,384
Avg Grant Aid $9,986 $13,813
% Receiving Grant Aid 93% 73%

Admission

 UCF UIC
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 54,977 23,562
Admitted 22,560 18,541
Acceptance Rate 41% 78.7%
Enrolled % 33.3% 22.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.64 3.41
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Difficult
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 25/29 24/30
SAT Range 1200/1360 1110/1340
Submit Test Scores Required to be considered for admission Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline May 1, 2025 Feb 1, 2025

Academics

 UCF UIC
Student to Faculty Ratio 29:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (25%)
  • Health Professions (10%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Engineering (5%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Psychology (13%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Engineering (9%)

Outcomes

 UCF UIC
Graduation Rate 63% 54%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $48,900 $61,900
Making Student Loan Payments 59% 68%
Median Student Loan Debt $18,270 $18,750
Median Loan Payment $188 $193

Diversity

 UCF UIC
% Men 45% 44%
% Women 55% 56%
Racial Diversity High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 53% 34%
% Black 11% 8%
% Hispanic 24% 28%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 3%
% International 1% 2%
% Unknown Race 1% 2%

Students

 UCF UIC
% In-State 91% 88%
% Out-of-State 9% 5%

Campus

 UCF UIC
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • University of Central Florida is larger than than UIC based on total student enrollment (68,346 students vs. 33,747 students)

UCF vs. UIC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UCF or UIC?

  • University of Illinois at Chicago is 145% more expensive to attend than UCF for in-state tuition ($10,970.00 vs. $4,478.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 29.1% higher at UIC than University of Central Florida ($25,578.00 vs. $19,810.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Illinois at Chicago than UCF ($10,384 vs. $13,108)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Central Florida are 25.2% lower than costs at University of Illinois at Chicago ($11,498 vs. $14,400)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Central Florida than University of Illinois at Chicago (93% vs. 73%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Illinois at Chicago students is 38.3% larger than aid received University of Central Florida ($13,813 vs. $9,986)

UCF vs. UIC Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Central Florida (1179) is 87 points higher than at UIC (1092)
  • Incoming UCF students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at UIC (24)
  • Accepted freshman UCF students have a 0.23 point higher average high school GPA (3.64) than students at UIC (3.41)
  • UIC has a higher acceptance rate (78.7%) than UCF (41%)

UCF vs. UIC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UCF or UIC? 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 UIC and UCF.

  • The graduation rate at UCF is higher than University of Illinois at Chicago (63% vs. 54%)
  • Graduates from University of Illinois at Chicago earn on average $13,000 more per year than UCF graduates after ten years. ($61,900 vs. $48,900)
  • University of Central Florida students graduate with a $480 lower median federal student loan debt than UIC graduates. ($18,270 vs. $18,750)
  • UCF graduates are paying $5 less per month on federal student loans than UIC graduates. ($188 vs. $193)
  • More UIC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UCF students, three years after graduation. (68% vs. 59%)

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