Illinois vs. City College of New York

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

Illinois City College of New York
Location Champaign, IL New York, NY
Setting Small City Large City
Enrollment 56,563 15,012
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #120 #276
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website illinois.edu cuny.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Illinois City College of New York
Tuition (In State) $12,712 $6,930
Tuition (Out of State) $31,208 $14,880
Room & Board $13,938 $18,104
Avg Net Price $14,297 $4,599
Avg Grant Aid $17,524 $9,236
% Receiving Grant Aid 48% 86%

Admission

Illinois City College of New York
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 67,398 31,988
Admitted 29,446 18,576
Acceptance Rate 43.7% 58.1%
Enrolled % 28.3% 14.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.79 3.2
Typical High School Grades A- B
Admissions Standards Exceptional Very High
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 29/34
SAT Range 1270/1510 1220/1460
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 Feb 1, 2026

Academics

Illinois City College of New York
Student to Faculty Ratio 20:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (16%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Psychology (15%)
  • Engineering (13%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (11%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)

Outcomes

Illinois City College of New York
Graduation Rate 82% 40%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $66,500 $49,800
Making Student Loan Payments 78% 52%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,500 $11,400
Median Loan Payment $211 $117

Diversity

Illinois City College of New York
% Men 21% 7%
% Women 16% 11%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 48% 15%
% Black 6% 16%
% Hispanic 10% 35%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 16% 6%
% Unknown Race 1% 0%

Students

Illinois City College of New York
% In-State 73% 87%
% Out-of-State 12% 0%

Campus

Illinois City College of New York
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required Yes No
Meal Plan Yes No
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 City College of New York based on total student enrollment (56,563 students vs. 15,012 students)

Illinois vs. City College of New York Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Illinois or City College of New York?

  • University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign is 83.4% more expensive to attend than City College of New York for in-state tuition ($12,712.00 vs. $6,930.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 109.7% higher at Illinois than CUNY City College ($31,208.00 vs. $14,880.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at CUNY City College than Illinois ($4,599 vs. $14,297)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign are 29.9% lower than costs at CUNY City College ($13,938 vs. $18,104)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at CUNY City College than University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign (86% vs. 48%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign students is 89.7% larger than aid received CUNY City College ($17,524 vs. $9,236)

Illinois vs. City College of New York Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign (1305) is 180 points higher than at City College of New York (1125)
  • Accepted freshman Illinois students have a 0.59 point higher average high school GPA (3.79) than students at City College of New York (3.2)
  • City College of New York has a higher acceptance rate (58.1%) than Illinois (43.7%)

Illinois vs. City College of New York Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Illinois or City College of New York? 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 City College of New York and Illinois.

  • The graduation rate at Illinois is higher than CUNY City College (82% vs. 40%)
  • Graduates from University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign earn on average $16,700 more per year than City College of New York graduates after ten years. ($66,500 vs. $49,800)
  • CUNY City College students graduate with a $9,100 lower median federal student loan debt than Illinois graduates. ($11,400 vs. $20,500)
  • City College of New York graduates are paying $94 less per month on federal student loans than Illinois graduates. ($117 vs. $211)
  • More Illinois graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former City College of New York students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 52%)

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