UIC vs. Illinois

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

 UIC Illinois
Location Chicago, IL Champaign, IL
Setting Large City Small City
Enrollment 33,522 56,563
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #198 #120
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uic.edu illinois.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 UIC Illinois
Tuition (In State) $11,178 $12,712
Tuition (Out of State) $26,200 $31,208
Room & Board $14,600 $13,938
Avg Net Price $11,499 $14,297
Avg Grant Aid $15,421 $17,524
% Receiving Grant Aid 72% 48%

Admission

 UIC Illinois
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 25,420 67,398
Admitted 19,955 29,446
Acceptance Rate 78.5% 43.7%
Enrolled % 23.3% 28.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.41 3.79
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Very High Exceptional
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 25/32 29/34
SAT Range 1120/1340 1270/1510
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 Jan 5, 2026

Academics

 UIC Illinois
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 20:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (16%)
  • Psychology (13%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Engineering (9%)
  • Engineering (16%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Psychology (7%)

Outcomes

 UIC Illinois
Graduation Rate 54% 82%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $61,900 $66,500
Making Student Loan Payments 68% 78%
Median Student Loan Debt $18,750 $20,500
Median Loan Payment $193 $211

Diversity

 UIC Illinois
% Men 14% 21%
% Women 20% 16%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 34% 48%
% Black 8% 6%
% Hispanic 28% 10%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 2% 16%
% Unknown Race 2% 1%

Students

 UIC Illinois
% In-State 89% 73%
% Out-of-State 4% 12%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign is larger than than UIC based on total student enrollment (56,563 students vs. 33,522 students)

UIC vs. Illinois Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UIC or Illinois?

  • University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign is 13.7% more expensive to attend than UIC for in-state tuition ($12,712.00 vs. $11,178.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 19.1% higher at Illinois than University of Illinois at Chicago ($31,208.00 vs. $26,200.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Illinois at Chicago than Illinois ($11,499 vs. $14,297)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign are 4.7% lower than costs at University of Illinois at Chicago ($13,938 vs. $14,600)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Illinois at Chicago than University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign (72% vs. 48%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign students is 13.6% larger than aid received University of Illinois at Chicago ($17,524 vs. $15,421)

UIC vs. Illinois Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign (1305) is 213 points higher than at UIC (1092)
  • Incoming Illinois students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (29) than students at UIC (24)
  • Accepted freshman Illinois students have a 0.38 point higher average high school GPA (3.79) than students at UIC (3.41)
  • UIC has a higher acceptance rate (78.5%) than Illinois (43.7%)

UIC vs. Illinois Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Illinois is higher than University of Illinois at Chicago (82% vs. 54%)
  • Graduates from University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign earn on average $4,600 more per year than UIC graduates after ten years. ($66,500 vs. $61,900)
  • University of Illinois at Chicago students graduate with a $1,750 lower median federal student loan debt than Illinois graduates. ($18,750 vs. $20,500)
  • UIC graduates are paying $18 less per month on federal student loans than Illinois graduates. ($193 vs. $211)
  • More Illinois graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UIC students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 68%)

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