UIC vs. UNC Charlotte

Deciding between University of Illinois Chicago and University of North Carolina at Charlotte? 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
University of North Carolina at Charlotte

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

  • Overview

  • Location
  • UIC Chicago, IL
  • UNC Charlotte Charlotte, NC
  • Setting
  • UIC Large City
  • UNC Charlotte Large City
  • Total enrollment
  • UIC 33,906
  • UNC Charlotte 31,091
  • Type
  • UIC Public 4 Year
  • UNC Charlotte Public 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • UIC #215
  • UNC Charlotte #529
  • Religious Affiliation
  • UIC -
  • UNC Charlotte -
  • Status
  • UIC Non-profit
  • UNC Charlotte Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • UIC
  • UNC Charlotte

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • UIC $14,338
  • UNC Charlotte $7,239
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • UIC $29,884
  • UNC Charlotte $22,492
  • Room & Board
  • UIC $16,500
  • UNC Charlotte $14,458
  • Average Net Price
  • UIC $10,852
  • UNC Charlotte $15,045
  • Average Grant Aid
  • UIC $16,755
  • UNC Charlotte $7,966
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • UIC 74%
  • UNC Charlotte 60%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • UIC 27,085
  • UNC Charlotte 23,887
  • Admitted
  • UIC 20,951
  • UNC Charlotte 19,015
  • Acceptance Rate
  • UIC 77.4%
  • UNC Charlotte 79.6%
  • Enrolled
  • UIC 21.1%
  • UNC Charlotte 24.5%
  • Typical SAT score
  • UIC 1240
  • UNC Charlotte 1240
  • Typical ACT score
  • UIC 28
  • UNC Charlotte 24
  • Average High School GPA
  • UIC 3.41
  • UNC Charlotte 3.57
  • Typical High School Grades
  • UIC B+
  • UNC Charlotte A-
  • Admissions Standards
  • UIC Difficult
  • UNC Charlotte Challenging
  • Applicant Competition
  • UIC
  • UNC Charlotte
  • ACT Range
  • UIC 25/31
  • UNC Charlotte 21/28
  • SAT Range
  • UIC 1130/1350
  • UNC Charlotte 1140/1330
  • Submit Test Scores
  • UIC Test optional
  • UNC Charlotte Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • UIC Feb 1, 2027
  • UNC Charlotte Jun 1, 2027

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • UIC 17:1
  • UNC Charlotte 21:1
  • Popular Majors
  • UIC
    • Business (16%)
    • Psychology (13%)
    • Biology (11%)
    • Social Sciences (10%)
    • Engineering (9%)
  • UNC Charlotte
    • Business (21%)
    • Social Sciences (8%)
    • Engineering (7%)
    • Education (7%)
    • Psychology (7%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • UIC 54%
  • UNC Charlotte 53%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • UIC $61,900
  • UNC Charlotte $48,600
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • UIC 68%
  • UNC Charlotte 61%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • UIC $18,750
  • UNC Charlotte $23,000
  • Median Loan Payment
  • UIC $193
  • UNC Charlotte $237

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • UIC 44%
  • UNC Charlotte 49%
  • % Women
  • UIC 56%
  • UNC Charlotte 51%
  • Racial Diversity
  • UIC Very High
  • UNC Charlotte High
  • HBCU
  • UIC No
  • UNC Charlotte No
  • % White
  • UIC 34%
  • UNC Charlotte 60%
  • % Asian
  • UIC 22%
  • UNC Charlotte 6%
  • % Black
  • UIC 8%
  • UNC Charlotte 17%
  • % Hispanic
  • UIC 28%
  • UNC Charlotte 9%
  • % Native American
  • UIC 0%
  • UNC Charlotte 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • UIC 0%
  • UNC Charlotte 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • UIC 3%
  • UNC Charlotte 4%
  • % International
  • UIC 2%
  • UNC Charlotte 2%
  • % Unknown Race
  • UIC 2%
  • UNC Charlotte 3%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • UIC 89%
  • UNC Charlotte 90%
  • % Out-of-State
  • UIC 4%
  • UNC Charlotte 9%

  • Campus

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

Comparable Facts

Compare University of Illinois Chicago in Chicago, IL with University of North Carolina at Charlotte in Charlotte, NC on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

University of Illinois Chicago is larger than UNC Charlotte based on total student enrollment (33,906 students vs. 31,091 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • University of Illinois Chicago is located in Chicago, IL (Large City setting); University of North Carolina at Charlotte is in Charlotte, NC (Large City setting).
  • University of Illinois Chicago is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. University of North Carolina at Charlotte is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: University of Illinois Chicago 17:1; University of North Carolina at Charlotte 21:1.

UIC vs. UNC Charlotte Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UIC or UNC Charlotte? 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 UNC Charlotte ($10,852 vs. $15,045).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of North Carolina at Charlotte are 12.4% lower than at University of Illinois Chicago ($14,458 vs. $16,500).
  • University of Illinois Chicago is 98.1% more expensive for in-state tuition than UNC Charlotte (about $7,099 more per year; $14,338.00 vs. $7,239.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 32.9% higher at UIC than at University of North Carolina at Charlotte (about $7,392 more per year; $29,884.00 vs. $22,492.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at University of Illinois Chicago than at University of North Carolina at Charlotte (74% vs. 60%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Illinois Chicago students is 110.3% larger than aid received by University of North Carolina at Charlotte students ($16,755 vs. $7,966).

UIC vs. UNC Charlotte Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, UIC or UNC Charlotte? 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 UNC Charlotte and UIC.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at University of Illinois Chicago (1240) is the same as at UNC Charlotte (1240).
  • Incoming UIC students have a 4 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (28 vs. 24 at UNC Charlotte).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: University of Illinois Chicago 1130/1350; University of North Carolina at Charlotte 1140/1330.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: University of Illinois Chicago 25/31; University of North Carolina at Charlotte 21/28.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: UIC - Test optional; UNC Charlotte - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: UIC Feb 1, 2027; UNC Charlotte Jun 1, 2027.
  • Accepted freshman UNC Charlotte students have a 0.16 point higher average high school GPA (3.57) than students at UIC (3.41).
  • UNC Charlotte has a higher acceptance rate (79.6%) than UIC (77.4%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 21.1% at UIC vs. 24.5% at UNC Charlotte.

UIC vs. UNC Charlotte Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for UIC and UNC Charlotte? 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).

  • University of Illinois Chicago's six-year graduation rate (54%) is higher than University of North Carolina at Charlotte's (53%).
  • Graduates from University of Illinois Chicago earn a median of about $13,300 more per year than UNC Charlotte graduates about ten years after starting college ($61,900 vs. $48,600), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, University of Illinois Chicago graduates have a $4,250 lower median loan debt than UNC Charlotte graduates ($18,750 vs. $23,000).
  • Among borrowers, UIC graduates have an estimated $44 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than UNC Charlotte graduates ($193 vs. $237).
  • More UIC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UNC Charlotte 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/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.