Illinois vs. Berea College

Should I go to University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign or Berea College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Illinois or Berea 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.

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University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign vs. Berea College comparison
University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign Berea College College 3 College 4
University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign Berea College
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Overview

Illinois Berea College
Location Champaign, IL Berea, KY
Setting Small City Distant Town
Enrollment 56,563 1,487
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #120
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website illinois.edu berea.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Illinois Berea College
Tuition (In State) $12,712 $48,600
Tuition (Out of State) $31,208 $48,600
Room & Board $13,938 $7,892
Avg Net Price $14,297 $4,379
Avg Grant Aid $17,524 $51,923
% Receiving Grant Aid 48% 100%

Admission

Illinois Berea College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 67,398 2,073
Admitted 29,446 678
Acceptance Rate 43.7% 32.7%
Enrolled % 28.3% 60.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.79 3.62
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Exceptional Challenging
Applicant Competition Low High
ACT Range 29/34 24/27
SAT Range 1270/1510 1156/1335
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 Jan 5, 2026 Mar 31, 2026

Academics

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

Outcomes

Illinois Berea College
Graduation Rate 82% -
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $66,500 $36,100
Making Student Loan Payments 78% 62%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,500 $5,800
Median Loan Payment $211 $59

Diversity

Illinois Berea College
% Men 21% 1%
% Women 16% 0%
Racial Diversity Very High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 48% 60%
% Black 6% 16%
% Hispanic 10% 8%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 5%
% International 16% 8%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

Illinois Berea College
% In-State 73% 44%
% Out-of-State 12% 46%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign is larger than than Berea College based on total student enrollment (56,563 students vs. 1,487 students)

Illinois vs. Berea College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Illinois or Berea College?

  • Berea College is 282.3% more expensive to attend than Illinois for in-state tuition ($48,600.00 vs. $12,712.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 55.7% higher at Berea College than University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign ($48,600.00 vs. $31,208.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Berea College than Illinois ($4,379 vs. $14,297)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Berea College are 76.6% lower than costs at University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign ($7,892 vs. $13,938)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Berea College than University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign (100% vs. 48%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Berea College students is 196.3% larger than aid received University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign ($51,923 vs. $17,524)

Illinois vs. Berea College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign (1305) is 188 points higher than at Berea College (1117)
  • Incoming Illinois students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (29) than students at Berea College (24)
  • Accepted freshman Illinois students have a 0.17 point higher average high school GPA (3.79) than students at Berea College (3.62)
  • Illinois has a higher acceptance rate (43.7%) than Berea College (32.7%)

Illinois vs. Berea College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Illinois or Berea 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 Berea College and Illinois.

  • Graduates from University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign earn on average $30,400 more per year than Berea College graduates after ten years. ($66,500 vs. $36,100)
  • Berea College students graduate with a $14,700 lower median federal student loan debt than Illinois graduates. ($5,800 vs. $20,500)
  • Berea College graduates are paying $152 less per month on federal student loans than Illinois graduates. ($59 vs. $211)
  • More Illinois graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Berea College students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 62%)

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