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UT Dallas UNT Loyola Texas Tech UT Arlington IIT UT Austin UTSA Texas A&M Northern Illinois ISU Illinois| University of Illinois at Chicago | University of Houston | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
UIC | UH | ||
| Location | Chicago, IL | Houston, TX | ||
| Setting | Large City | Large City | ||
| Enrollment | 33,522 | 46,676 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #198 | #468 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | uic.edu | uh.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
UIC | UH | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $11,178 | $8,685 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $26,200 | $21,165 | ||
| Room & Board | $14,600 | $10,830 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $11,499 | $13,738 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $15,421 | $11,551 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 72% | 74% |
Admission |
UIC | UH | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 25,420 | 30,327 | ||
| Admitted | 19,955 | 21,087 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 78.5% | 69.5% | ||
| Enrolled % | 23.3% | 26.8% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.41 | 3.46 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Very High | Challenging | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | |||
| ACT Range | 25/32 | 23/28 | ||
| SAT Range | 1120/1340 | 1150/1330 | ||
| 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, 2026 | May 31, 2026 |
Academics |
UIC | UH | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 17:1 | 21:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
UIC | UH | ||
| Graduation Rate | 54% | 46% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $61,900 | $59,000 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 68% | 61% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $18,750 | $19,750 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $193 | $204 |
Diversity |
UIC | UH | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 14% | 9% | ||
| % Women | 20% | 10% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 34% | 26% | ||
| % Black | 8% | 10% | ||
| % Hispanic | 28% | 32% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 3% | 3% | ||
| % International | 2% | 5% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 2% | 1% |
Students |
UIC | UH | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 89% | 93% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 4% | 3% | ||
Campus |
UIC | UH | ||
| 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 Houston is larger than than UIC based on total student enrollment (46,676 students vs. 33,522 students)
UIC vs. UH Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, UIC or UH?
- University of Illinois at Chicago is 28.7% more expensive to attend than UH for in-state tuition ($11,178.00 vs. $8,685.00)
- Out of state tuition is 23.8% higher at UIC than University of Houston ($26,200.00 vs. $21,165.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Illinois at Chicago than UH ($11,499 vs. $13,738)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Houston are 34.8% lower than costs at University of Illinois at Chicago ($10,830 vs. $14,600)
- More students receive financial grant aid at University of Houston than University of Illinois at Chicago (74% vs. 72%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by University of Illinois at Chicago students is 33.5% larger than aid received University of Houston ($15,421 vs. $11,551)
UIC vs. UH Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, UIC or UH? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between UH or UIC .
- The average SAT score at University of Houston (1154) is 62 points higher than at UIC (1092)
- Incoming UH students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at UIC (24)
- Accepted freshman UH students have a 0.05 point higher average high school GPA (3.46) than students at UIC (3.41)
- UIC has a higher acceptance rate (78.5%) than UH (69.5%)
UIC vs. UH Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, UIC or UH? 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 UH and UIC.
- The graduation rate at UIC is higher than University of Houston (54% vs. 46%)
- Graduates from University of Illinois at Chicago earn on average $2,900 more per year than UH graduates after ten years. ($61,900 vs. $59,000)
- University of Illinois at Chicago students graduate with a $1,000 lower median federal student loan debt than UH graduates. ($18,750 vs. $19,750)
- UIC graduates are paying $11 less per month on federal student loans than UH graduates. ($193 vs. $204)
- More UIC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UH students, three years after graduation. (68% vs. 61%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/