Illinois vs. Hunter

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

 Illinois Hunter
Location Champaign, IL New York, NY
Setting Small City Large City
Enrollment 56,563 22,879
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #120 #283
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website illinois.edu cuny.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Illinois Hunter
Tuition (In State) $12,712 $6,930
Tuition (Out of State) $31,208 $14,880
Room & Board $13,938 $11,324
Avg Net Price $14,297 $4,127
Avg Grant Aid $17,524 $9,624
% Receiving Grant Aid 48% 88%

Admission

 Illinois Hunter
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 67,398 31,614
Admitted 29,446 17,087
Acceptance Rate 43.7% 54%
Enrolled % 28.3% 18.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.79 3.7
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Exceptional Exceptional
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 29/34
SAT Range 1270/1510 1210/1470
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

Academics

 Illinois Hunter
Student to Faculty Ratio 20:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (16%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Social Sciences (20%)
  • Psychology (16%)
  • English and Literature (13%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)
  • Health Professions (9%)

Outcomes

 Illinois Hunter
Graduation Rate 82% 46%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $66,500 $48,800
Making Student Loan Payments 78% 56%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,500 $11,548
Median Loan Payment $211 $119

Diversity

 Illinois Hunter
% Men 21% 6%
% Women 16% 18%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 48% 27%
% Black 6% 10%
% Hispanic 10% 29%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 1%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 16% 6%
% Unknown Race 1% 0%

Students

 Illinois Hunter
% In-State 73% 85%
% Out-of-State 12% 0%

Campus

 Illinois Hunter
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 Hunter based on total student enrollment (56,563 students vs. 22,879 students)

Illinois vs. Hunter Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Illinois or Hunter?

  • University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign is 83.4% more expensive to attend than Hunter for in-state tuition ($12,712.00 vs. $6,930.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 109.7% higher at Illinois than CUNY Hunter College ($31,208.00 vs. $14,880.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at CUNY Hunter College than Illinois ($4,127 vs. $14,297)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at CUNY Hunter College are 23.1% lower than costs at University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign ($11,324 vs. $13,938)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at CUNY Hunter College than University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign (88% vs. 48%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign students is 82.1% larger than aid received CUNY Hunter College ($17,524 vs. $9,624)

Illinois vs. Hunter Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign (1305) is 140 points higher than at Hunter (1165)
  • Accepted freshman Illinois students have a 0.09 point higher average high school GPA (3.79) than students at Hunter (3.7)
  • Hunter has a higher acceptance rate (54%) than Illinois (43.7%)

Illinois vs. Hunter Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Illinois or Hunter? 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 Hunter and Illinois.

  • The graduation rate at Illinois is higher than CUNY Hunter College (82% vs. 46%)
  • Graduates from University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign earn on average $17,700 more per year than Hunter graduates after ten years. ($66,500 vs. $48,800)
  • CUNY Hunter College students graduate with a $8,952 lower median federal student loan debt than Illinois graduates. ($11,548 vs. $20,500)
  • Hunter graduates are paying $92 less per month on federal student loans than Illinois graduates. ($119 vs. $211)
  • More Illinois graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Hunter students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 56%)

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