UIC vs. Wheaton College

Should I go to University of Illinois at Chicago or Wheaton College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if UIC or Wheaton College 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.
Add a college to compare up to four schools

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

Loyola IIT Northern Illinois ISU Illinois ISU UC UB Michigan State UChicago University of Illinois at Springfield IU
University of Illinois at Chicago vs. Wheaton College comparison
University of Illinois at Chicago Wheaton College College 3 College 4
University of Illinois at Chicago Wheaton College
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

 UIC Wheaton College
Location Chicago, IL Wheaton, IL
Setting Large City Large Suburban
Enrollment 33,522 2,799
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #198 #156
Religious Affiliation - Undenominational - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uic.edu wheaton.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 UIC Wheaton College
Tuition (In State) $11,178 $43,670
Tuition (Out of State) $26,200 $43,670
Room & Board $14,600 $12,390
Avg Net Price $11,499 $31,346
Avg Grant Aid $15,421 $25,196
% Receiving Grant Aid 72% 98%

Admission

 UIC Wheaton College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 25,420 1,866
Admitted 19,955 1,679
Acceptance Rate 78.5% 90%
Enrolled % 23.3% 32.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.41 3.75
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Very High Very High
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 25/32 27/32
SAT Range 1120/1340 1260/1440
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 Aug 1, 2026

Academics

 UIC Wheaton College
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (16%)
  • Psychology (13%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Engineering (9%)
  • Social Sciences (15%)
  • Theology and Religious Vvocations (9%)
  • English and Literature (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Business (8%)

Outcomes

 UIC Wheaton College
Graduation Rate 54% 87%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $61,900 $54,300
Making Student Loan Payments 68% 90%
Median Student Loan Debt $18,750 $22,500
Median Loan Payment $193 $232

Diversity

 UIC Wheaton College
% Men 14% 10%
% Women 20% 14%
Racial Diversity Very High Low
HBCU No No
% White 34% 76%
% Black 8% 3%
% Hispanic 28% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 5%
% International 2% 3%
% Unknown Race 2% 0%

Students

 UIC Wheaton College
% In-State 89% 21%
% Out-of-State 4% 54%

Campus

 UIC Wheaton College
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 Wheaton College based on total student enrollment (33,522 students vs. 2,799 students)

UIC vs. Wheaton College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UIC or Wheaton College?

  • Wheaton College is 290.7% more expensive to attend than UIC for in-state tuition ($43,670.00 vs. $11,178.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 66.7% higher at Wheaton College than University of Illinois at Chicago ($43,670.00 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 Wheaton College ($11,499 vs. $31,346)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Wheaton College are 17.8% lower than costs at University of Illinois at Chicago ($12,390 vs. $14,600)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Wheaton College than University of Illinois at Chicago (98% vs. 72%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Wheaton College students is 63.4% larger than aid received University of Illinois at Chicago ($25,196 vs. $15,421)

UIC vs. Wheaton College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Wheaton College (1314) is 222 points higher than at UIC (1092)
  • Incoming Wheaton College students have a 6 point higher average ACT score (30) than students at UIC (24)
  • Accepted freshman Wheaton College students have a 0.34 point higher average high school GPA (3.75) than students at UIC (3.41)
  • Wheaton College has a higher acceptance rate (90%) than UIC (78.5%)

UIC vs. Wheaton College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UIC or Wheaton College? 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 Wheaton College and UIC.

  • The graduation rate at Wheaton College is higher than University of Illinois at Chicago (87% vs. 54%)
  • Graduates from University of Illinois at Chicago earn on average $7,600 more per year than Wheaton College graduates after ten years. ($61,900 vs. $54,300)
  • University of Illinois at Chicago students graduate with a $3,750 lower median federal student loan debt than Wheaton College graduates. ($18,750 vs. $22,500)
  • UIC graduates are paying $39 less per month on federal student loans than Wheaton College graduates. ($193 vs. $232)
  • More Wheaton College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UIC students, three years after graduation. (90% vs. 68%)

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