UIC vs. IWU

Deciding between University of Illinois Chicago and Illinois Wesleyan University? The table below shows tuition, aid, admissions, and outcomes side by side. Data comes from public sources across more than 3,000 U.S. colleges and universities. No account is required.

University of Illinois Chicago
Illinois Wesleyan University

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

  • Overview

  • Location
  • UIC Chicago, IL
  • IWU Bloomington, IL
  • Setting
  • UIC Large City
  • IWU Small City
  • Total enrollment
  • UIC 33,906
  • IWU 1,582
  • Type
  • UIC Public 4 Year
  • IWU Private 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • UIC #215
  • IWU #157
  • Religious Affiliation
  • UIC -
  • IWU -
  • Status
  • UIC Non-profit
  • IWU Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • UIC
  • IWU

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • UIC $14,338
  • IWU $57,704
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • UIC $29,884
  • IWU $57,704
  • Room & Board
  • UIC $16,500
  • IWU $13,370
  • Average Net Price
  • UIC $10,852
  • IWU $28,644
  • Average Grant Aid
  • UIC $16,755
  • IWU $42,181
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • UIC 74%
  • IWU 100%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • UIC 27,085
  • IWU 9,558
  • Admitted
  • UIC 20,951
  • IWU 3,757
  • Acceptance Rate
  • UIC 77.4%
  • IWU 39.3%
  • Enrolled
  • UIC 21.1%
  • IWU 12.3%
  • Typical SAT score
  • UIC 1240
  • IWU 1230
  • Typical ACT score
  • UIC 28
  • IWU 27
  • Average High School GPA
  • UIC 3.41
  • IWU 3.86
  • Typical High School Grades
  • UIC B+
  • IWU A
  • Admissions Standards
  • UIC Difficult
  • IWU Difficult
  • Applicant Competition
  • UIC
  • IWU High
  • ACT Range
  • UIC 25/31
  • IWU 25/30
  • SAT Range
  • UIC 1130/1350
  • IWU 1120/1340
  • Submit Test Scores
  • UIC Test optional
  • IWU Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • UIC Feb 1, 2027
  • IWU

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • UIC 17:1
  • IWU 12:1
  • Popular Majors
  • UIC
    • Business (16%)
    • Psychology (13%)
    • Biology (11%)
    • Social Sciences (10%)
    • Engineering (9%)
  • IWU
    • Business (20%)
    • Social Sciences (13%)
    • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
    • Psychology (8%)
    • Biology (7%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • UIC 54%
  • IWU 82%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • UIC $61,900
  • IWU $60,500
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • UIC 68%
  • IWU 87%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • UIC $18,750
  • IWU $27,000
  • Median Loan Payment
  • UIC $193
  • IWU $279

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • UIC 44%
  • IWU 50%
  • % Women
  • UIC 56%
  • IWU 50%
  • Racial Diversity
  • UIC Very High
  • IWU Medium
  • HBCU
  • UIC No
  • IWU No
  • % White
  • UIC 34%
  • IWU 71%
  • % Asian
  • UIC 22%
  • IWU 4%
  • % Black
  • UIC 8%
  • IWU 4%
  • % Hispanic
  • UIC 28%
  • IWU 7%
  • % Native American
  • UIC 0%
  • IWU 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • UIC 0%
  • IWU 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • UIC 3%
  • IWU 3%
  • % International
  • UIC 2%
  • IWU 9%
  • % Unknown Race
  • UIC 2%
  • IWU 2%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • UIC 89%
  • IWU 80%
  • % Out-of-State
  • UIC 4%
  • IWU 15%

  • Campus

  • Campus Housing
  • UIC Yes
  • IWU Yes
  • Freshman Dorm Required
  • UIC No
  • IWU No
  • Meal Plan
  • UIC Yes
  • IWU Yes
  • Weekend/Evening Classes
  • UIC No
  • IWU No
  • Daycare Facility
  • UIC Yes
  • IWU No

Comparable Facts

Compare University of Illinois Chicago in Chicago, IL with Illinois Wesleyan University in Bloomington, IL on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

University of Illinois Chicago is larger than IWU based on total student enrollment (33,906 students vs. 1,582 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • University of Illinois Chicago is located in Chicago, IL (Large City setting); Illinois Wesleyan University is in Bloomington, IL (Small City setting).
  • University of Illinois Chicago is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. Illinois Wesleyan University is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: University of Illinois Chicago 17:1; Illinois Wesleyan University 12:1.

UIC vs. IWU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UIC or IWU? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Illinois Chicago than IWU ($10,852 vs. $28,644).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Illinois Wesleyan University are 19% lower than at University of Illinois Chicago ($13,370 vs. $16,500).
  • Illinois Wesleyan University is 302.5% more expensive for in-state tuition than UIC (about $43,366 more per year; $57,704.00 vs. $14,338.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 93.1% higher at IWU than at University of Illinois Chicago (about $27,820 more per year; $57,704.00 vs. $29,884.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Illinois Wesleyan University than at University of Illinois Chicago (100% vs. 74%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Illinois Wesleyan University students is 151.8% larger than aid received by University of Illinois Chicago students ($42,181 vs. $16,755).

UIC vs. IWU Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, UIC or IWU? Typical SAT and ACT scores (midpoint estimates from the mid-50% ranges in the table above), enrolled-tester score ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between IWU and UIC.

  • The typical SAT score (midpoint estimate) at University of Illinois Chicago (1240) is 10 points higher than at IWU (1230).
  • Incoming UIC students have a 1 point higher typical ACT composite (midpoint estimate) (28 vs. 27 at IWU).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) among enrolled freshmen who submitted scores: University of Illinois Chicago 1130/1350; Illinois Wesleyan University 1120/1340.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) among enrolled freshmen who submitted scores: University of Illinois Chicago 25/31; Illinois Wesleyan University 25/30.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: UIC - Test optional; IWU - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: UIC Feb 1, 2027.
  • Enrolled freshman IWU students have a 0.45 point higher average high school GPA (3.86) than students at UIC (3.41).
  • UIC has a higher acceptance rate (77.4%) than IWU (39.3%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 21.1% at UIC vs. 12.3% at IWU.

UIC vs. IWU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for UIC and IWU? Where federal data is available for both schools, the bullets below compare graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt using the same College Scorecard / IPEDS fields as the comparison table. If a metric is missing for one school, that school is noted separately.

  • Illinois Wesleyan University's six-year graduation rate (82%) is higher than University of Illinois Chicago's (54%).
  • Graduates from University of Illinois Chicago earn a median of about $1,400 more per year than IWU graduates about ten years after starting college ($61,900 vs. $60,500), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, University of Illinois Chicago graduates have a $8,250 lower median loan debt than IWU graduates ($18,750 vs. $27,000).
  • Among borrowers, UIC graduates have an estimated $86 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than IWU graduates ($193 vs. $279).
  • More IWU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UIC students, three years after graduation. (87% vs. 68%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.