UIC vs. UC

Should I go to University of Illinois at Chicago or University of Cincinnati Main Campus? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if UIC or UC 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. University of Cincinnati Main Campus comparison
University of Illinois at Chicago University of Cincinnati Main Campus College 3 College 4
University of Illinois at Chicago University of Cincinnati Main Campus
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Overview

UIC UC
Location Chicago, IL Cincinnati, OH
Setting Large City Large City
Enrollment 33,747 41,155
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #234 #413
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uic.edu uc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

UIC UC
Tuition (In State) $10,970 $11,498
Tuition (Out of State) $25,578 $26,862
Room & Board $14,400 $12,852
Avg Net Price $10,384 $20,149
Avg Grant Aid $13,813 $8,733
% Receiving Grant Aid 73% 64%

Admission

UIC UC
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 23,562 29,025
Admitted 18,541 25,024
Acceptance Rate 78.7% 86.2%
Enrolled % 22.9% 25.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.41 3.69
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Difficult
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 24/30 24/29
SAT Range 1110/1340 1160/1360
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 Mar 1, 2025

Academics

UIC UC
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (16%)
  • Psychology (13%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Engineering (9%)
  • Health Professions (16%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Engineering (9%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)

Outcomes

UIC UC
Graduation Rate 54% 59%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $61,900 $45,600
Making Student Loan Payments 68% 57%
Median Student Loan Debt $18,750 $23,000
Median Loan Payment $193 $237

Diversity

UIC UC
% Men 44% 46%
% Women 56% 54%
Racial Diversity Very High Low
HBCU No No
% White 34% 75%
% Black 8% 7%
% Hispanic 28% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 2% 4%
% Unknown Race 2% 4%

Students

UIC UC
% In-State 88% 78%
% Out-of-State 5% 17%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of Cincinnati Main Campus is larger than than UIC based on total student enrollment (41,155 students vs. 33,747 students)

UIC vs. UC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UIC or UC?

  • University of Cincinnati Main Campus is 4.8% more expensive to attend than UIC for in-state tuition ($11,498.00 vs. $10,970.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 5% higher at UC than University of Illinois at Chicago ($26,862.00 vs. $25,578.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Illinois at Chicago than UC ($10,384 vs. $20,149)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Cincinnati Main Campus are 12% lower than costs at University of Illinois at Chicago ($12,852 vs. $14,400)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Illinois at Chicago than University of Cincinnati Main Campus (73% vs. 64%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Illinois at Chicago students is 58.2% larger than aid received University of Cincinnati Main Campus ($13,813 vs. $8,733)

UIC vs. UC Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Cincinnati Main Campus (1165) is 73 points higher than at UIC (1092)
  • Incoming UC students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at UIC (24)
  • Accepted freshman UC students have a 0.28 point higher average high school GPA (3.69) than students at UIC (3.41)
  • UC has a higher acceptance rate (86.2%) than UIC (78.7%)

UIC vs. UC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at UC is higher than University of Illinois at Chicago (59% vs. 54%)
  • Graduates from University of Illinois at Chicago earn on average $16,300 more per year than UC graduates after ten years. ($61,900 vs. $45,600)
  • University of Illinois at Chicago students graduate with a $4,250 lower median federal student loan debt than UC graduates. ($18,750 vs. $23,000)
  • UIC graduates are paying $44 less per month on federal student loans than UC graduates. ($193 vs. $237)
  • More UIC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UC students, three years after graduation. (68% vs. 57%)

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