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 69,233 33,522
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #387 #198
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ucf.edu uic.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 UCF UIC
Tuition (In State) $4,478 $11,178
Tuition (Out of State) $19,810 $26,200
Room & Board $12,070 $14,600
Avg Net Price $13,110 $11,499
Avg Grant Aid $9,585 $15,421
% Receiving Grant Aid 85% 72%

Admission

 UCF UIC
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 60,627 25,420
Admitted 23,961 19,955
Acceptance Rate 39.5% 78.5%
Enrolled % 34.2% 23.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.64 3.41
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Very High
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 25/29 25/32
SAT Range 1190/1350 1120/1340
Submit Test Scores Required to be considered for admission Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline May 1, 2026 Feb 1, 2026

Academics

 UCF UIC
Student to Faculty Ratio 29:1 17:1
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 6% 14%
% Women 8% 20%
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 92% 89%
% Out-of-State 8% 4%

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 (69,233 students vs. 33,522 students)

UCF vs. UIC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UCF or UIC?

  • University of Illinois at Chicago is 149.6% more expensive to attend than UCF for in-state tuition ($11,178.00 vs. $4,478.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 32.3% higher at UIC than University of Central Florida ($26,200.00 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 ($11,499 vs. $13,110)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Central Florida are 21% lower than costs at University of Illinois at Chicago ($12,070 vs. $14,600)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Central Florida than University of Illinois at Chicago (85% vs. 72%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Illinois at Chicago students is 60.9% larger than aid received University of Central Florida ($15,421 vs. $9,585)

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 (78.5%) than UCF (39.5%)

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/