UIC vs. LSU

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

UIC LSU
Location Chicago, IL Baton Rouge, LA
Setting Large City Rural Fringe
Enrollment 33,747 37,348
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #234 #367
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uic.edu lsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

UIC LSU
Tuition (In State) $10,970 $8,038
Tuition (Out of State) $25,578 $8,038
Room & Board $14,400 $13,956
Avg Net Price $10,384 $21,296
Avg Grant Aid $13,813 $12,374
% Receiving Grant Aid 73% 98%

Admission

UIC LSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 23,562 38,853
Admitted 18,541 29,419
Acceptance Rate 78.7% 75.7%
Enrolled % 22.9% 25.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.41 3.77
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Difficult Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 24/30 23/28
SAT Range 1110/1340 1140/1320
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 Feb 1, 2025 Jul 15, 2025

Academics

UIC LSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 22:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (16%)
  • Psychology (13%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Engineering (9%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Engineering (9%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)

Outcomes

UIC LSU
Graduation Rate 54% 60%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $61,900 $56,900
Making Student Loan Payments 68% 67%
Median Student Loan Debt $18,750 $20,900
Median Loan Payment $193 $216

Diversity

UIC LSU
% Men 44% 44%
% Women 56% 56%
Racial Diversity Very High Low
HBCU No No
% White 34% 73%
% Black 8% 12%
% Hispanic 28% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 2% 2%
% Unknown Race 2% 0%

Students

UIC LSU
% In-State 88% 65%
% Out-of-State 5% 34%

Campus

UIC LSU
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

  • Louisiana State University is larger than than UIC based on total student enrollment (37,348 students vs. 33,747 students)

UIC vs. LSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UIC or LSU?

  • University of Illinois at Chicago is 36.5% more expensive to attend than LSU for in-state tuition ($10,970.00 vs. $8,038.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 218.2% higher at UIC than Louisiana State University ($25,578.00 vs. $8,038.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Illinois at Chicago than LSU ($10,384 vs. $21,296)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Louisiana State University are 3.2% lower than costs at University of Illinois at Chicago ($13,956 vs. $14,400)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Louisiana State University than University of Illinois at Chicago (98% vs. 73%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Illinois at Chicago students is 11.6% larger than aid received Louisiana State University ($13,813 vs. $12,374)

UIC vs. LSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Louisiana State University (1163) is 71 points higher than at UIC (1092)
  • Incoming LSU students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at UIC (24)
  • Accepted freshman LSU students have a 0.36 point higher average high school GPA (3.77) than students at UIC (3.41)
  • UIC has a higher acceptance rate (78.7%) than LSU (75.7%)

UIC vs. LSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at LSU is higher than University of Illinois at Chicago (60% vs. 54%)
  • Graduates from University of Illinois at Chicago earn on average $5,000 more per year than LSU graduates after ten years. ($61,900 vs. $56,900)
  • University of Illinois at Chicago students graduate with a $2,150 lower median federal student loan debt than LSU graduates. ($18,750 vs. $20,900)
  • UIC graduates are paying $23 less per month on federal student loans than LSU graduates. ($193 vs. $216)
  • More UIC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former LSU students, three years after graduation. (68% vs. 67%)

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