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Loyola IIT Northern Illinois ISU Illinois ISU UC UB Michigan State UChicago University of Illinois at Springfield IU| University of Illinois at Chicago | VanderCook College of Music | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
UIC | VCM | ||
| Location | Chicago, IL | Chicago, IL | ||
| Setting | Large City | Large City | ||
| Enrollment | 33,522 | 340 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #198 | |||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | uic.edu | vandercook.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
UIC | VCM | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $11,178 | $28,640 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $26,200 | $28,640 | ||
| Room & Board | $14,600 | $7,500 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $11,499 | $16,601 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $15,421 | $22,249 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 72% | 100% |
Admission |
UIC | VCM | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 25,420 | 37 | ||
| Admitted | 19,955 | 36 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 78.5% | 97.3% | ||
| Enrolled % | 23.3% | 47.2% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.41 | 3.1 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | B | ||
| Admissions Standards | Very High | Extremely Easy | ||
| Applicant Competition | ||||
| ACT Range | 25/32 | 15/20 | ||
| SAT Range | 1120/1340 | 890/1160 | ||
| 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 | Apr 1, 2026 |
Academics |
UIC | VCM | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 17:1 | 4:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
UIC | VCM | ||
| Graduation Rate | 54% | 45% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $61,900 | N/A | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 68% | 66% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $18,750 | $27,000 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $193 | $279 |
Diversity |
UIC | VCM | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 14% | 32% | ||
| % Women | 20% | 39% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | Medium | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 34% | 62% | ||
| % Black | 8% | 8% | ||
| % Hispanic | 28% | 21% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 3% | 4% | ||
| % International | 2% | 2% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 2% | 2% |
Students |
UIC | VCM | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 89% | 58% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 4% | 42% | ||
Campus |
UIC | VCM | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | Yes | No | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- University of Illinois at Chicago is larger than than VCM based on total student enrollment (33,522 students vs. 340 students)
UIC vs. VCM Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, UIC or VCM?
- VanderCook College of Music is 156.2% more expensive to attend than UIC for in-state tuition ($28,640.00 vs. $11,178.00)
- Out of state tuition is 9.3% higher at VCM than University of Illinois at Chicago ($28,640.00 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 VCM ($11,499 vs. $16,601)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at VanderCook College of Music are 94.7% lower than costs at University of Illinois at Chicago ($7,500 vs. $14,600)
- More students receive financial grant aid at VanderCook College of Music than University of Illinois at Chicago (100% vs. 72%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by VanderCook College of Music students is 44.3% larger than aid received University of Illinois at Chicago ($22,249 vs. $15,421)
UIC vs. VCM Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, UIC or VCM? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between VCM or UIC .
- The average SAT score at VanderCook College of Music (1107) is 15 points higher than at UIC (1092)
- Incoming VCM students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at UIC (24)
- Accepted freshman UIC students have a 0.31 point higher average high school GPA (3.41) than students at VCM (3.1)
- VCM has a higher acceptance rate (97.3%) than UIC (78.5%)
UIC vs. VCM Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, UIC or VCM? 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 VCM and UIC.
- The graduation rate at UIC is higher than VanderCook College of Music (54% vs. 45%)
- University of Illinois at Chicago students graduate with a $8,250 lower median federal student loan debt than VCM graduates. ($18,750 vs. $27,000)
- UIC graduates are paying $86 less per month on federal student loans than VCM graduates. ($193 vs. $279)
- More UIC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former VCM students, three years after graduation. (68% vs. 66%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/