UIC vs. St Olaf

Deciding between University of Illinois Chicago and St Olaf College? 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
St Olaf College

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

  • Overview

  • Location
  • UIC Chicago, IL
  • St Olaf Northfield, MN
  • Setting
  • UIC Large City
  • St Olaf Distant Town
  • Total enrollment
  • UIC 33,906
  • St Olaf 3,124
  • Type
  • UIC Public 4 Year
  • St Olaf Private 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • UIC #215
  • St Olaf #143
  • Religious Affiliation
  • UIC -
  • St Olaf Evangelical Lutheran Church
  • Status
  • UIC Non-profit
  • St Olaf Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • UIC
  • St Olaf

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • UIC $14,338
  • St Olaf $59,760
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • UIC $29,884
  • St Olaf $59,760
  • Room & Board
  • UIC $16,500
  • St Olaf $13,630
  • Average Net Price
  • UIC $10,852
  • St Olaf $26,756
  • Average Grant Aid
  • UIC $16,755
  • St Olaf $45,098
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • UIC 74%
  • St Olaf 100%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • UIC 27,085
  • St Olaf 6,623
  • Admitted
  • UIC 20,951
  • St Olaf 3,200
  • Acceptance Rate
  • UIC 77.4%
  • St Olaf 48.3%
  • Enrolled
  • UIC 21.1%
  • St Olaf 26.8%
  • Typical SAT score
  • UIC 1240
  • St Olaf 1390
  • Typical ACT score
  • UIC 28
  • St Olaf 30
  • Average High School GPA
  • UIC 3.41
  • St Olaf 3.68
  • Typical High School Grades
  • UIC B+
  • St Olaf A-
  • Admissions Standards
  • UIC Difficult
  • St Olaf Very High
  • Applicant Competition
  • UIC
  • St Olaf Low
  • ACT Range
  • UIC 25/31
  • St Olaf 28/32
  • SAT Range
  • UIC 1130/1350
  • St Olaf 1300/1470
  • Submit Test Scores
  • UIC Test optional
  • St Olaf Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • UIC Feb 1, 2027
  • St Olaf Jan 15, 2027

  • Academics

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

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • UIC 54%
  • St Olaf 85%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • UIC $61,900
  • St Olaf $53,700
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • UIC 68%
  • St Olaf 91%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • UIC $18,750
  • St Olaf $27,000
  • Median Loan Payment
  • UIC $193
  • St Olaf $279

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • UIC 44%
  • St Olaf 42%
  • % Women
  • UIC 56%
  • St Olaf 58%
  • Racial Diversity
  • UIC Very High
  • St Olaf Low
  • HBCU
  • UIC No
  • St Olaf No
  • % White
  • UIC 34%
  • St Olaf 75%
  • % Asian
  • UIC 22%
  • St Olaf 6%
  • % Black
  • UIC 8%
  • St Olaf 2%
  • % Hispanic
  • UIC 28%
  • St Olaf 5%
  • % Native American
  • UIC 0%
  • St Olaf 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • UIC 0%
  • St Olaf 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • UIC 3%
  • St Olaf 4%
  • % International
  • UIC 2%
  • St Olaf 7%
  • % Unknown Race
  • UIC 2%
  • St Olaf 1%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • UIC 89%
  • St Olaf 44%
  • % Out-of-State
  • UIC 4%
  • St Olaf 42%

  • Campus

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

Comparable Facts

Compare University of Illinois Chicago in Chicago, IL with St Olaf College in Northfield, MN on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

University of Illinois Chicago is larger than St Olaf based on total student enrollment (33,906 students vs. 3,124 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • University of Illinois Chicago is located in Chicago, IL (Large City setting); St Olaf College is in Northfield, MN (Distant Town setting).
  • University of Illinois Chicago is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. St Olaf College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: University of Illinois Chicago 17:1; St Olaf College 11:1.

UIC vs. St Olaf Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UIC or St Olaf? 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 St Olaf ($10,852 vs. $26,756).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at St Olaf College are 17.4% lower than at University of Illinois Chicago ($13,630 vs. $16,500).
  • St Olaf College is 316.8% more expensive for in-state tuition than UIC (about $45,422 more per year; $59,760.00 vs. $14,338.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 100% higher at St Olaf than at University of Illinois Chicago (about $29,876 more per year; $59,760.00 vs. $29,884.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at St Olaf College than at University of Illinois Chicago (100% vs. 74%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by St Olaf College students is 169.2% larger than aid received by University of Illinois Chicago students ($45,098 vs. $16,755).

UIC vs. St Olaf Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, UIC or St Olaf? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between St Olaf and UIC.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at St Olaf College (1390) is 150 points higher than at UIC (1240).
  • Incoming St Olaf students have a 2 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (30 vs. 28 at UIC).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: University of Illinois Chicago 1130/1350; St Olaf College 1300/1470.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: University of Illinois Chicago 25/31; St Olaf College 28/32.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: UIC - Test optional; St Olaf - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: UIC Feb 1, 2027; St Olaf Jan 15, 2027.
  • Accepted freshman St Olaf students have a 0.27 point higher average high school GPA (3.68) than students at UIC (3.41).
  • UIC has a higher acceptance rate (77.4%) than St Olaf (48.3%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 21.1% at UIC vs. 26.8% at St Olaf.

UIC vs. St Olaf Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for UIC and St Olaf? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

  • St Olaf College's six-year graduation rate (85%) is higher than University of Illinois Chicago's (54%).
  • Graduates from University of Illinois Chicago earn a median of about $8,200 more per year than St Olaf graduates about ten years after starting college ($61,900 vs. $53,700), 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 St Olaf graduates ($18,750 vs. $27,000).
  • Among borrowers, UIC graduates have an estimated $86 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than St Olaf graduates ($193 vs. $279).
  • More St Olaf graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UIC students, three years after graduation. (91% 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.