Illinois vs. Drake

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

Illinois Drake
Location Champaign, IL Des Moines, IA
Setting Small City Midsize City
Enrollment 56,916 4,685
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #106 #149
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website illinois.edu drake.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Illinois Drake
Tuition (In State) $12,474 $47,564
Tuition (Out of State) $30,446 $47,564
Room & Board $12,720 $11,570
Avg Net Price $14,544 $30,333
Avg Grant Aid $16,552 $31,274
% Receiving Grant Aid 54% 100%

Admission

Illinois Drake
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 63,257 8,621
Admitted 28,354 5,796
Acceptance Rate 44.8% 67.2%
Enrolled % 28.1% 12.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.79 3.7
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Exceptional Difficult
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 29/34 25/30
SAT Range 1320/1510 1110/1340
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, 2025

Academics

Illinois Drake
Student to Faculty Ratio 21:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (16%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Business (39%)
  • Communication (12%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Biology (6%)

Outcomes

Illinois Drake
Graduation Rate 82% 75%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $66,500 $68,500
Making Student Loan Payments 78% 84%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,500 $26,000
Median Loan Payment $211 $268

Diversity

Illinois Drake
% Men 54% 37%
% Women 46% 63%
Racial Diversity Very High Low
HBCU No No
% White 48% 79%
% Black 6% 4%
% Hispanic 10% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 16% 7%
% Unknown Race 1% 0%

Students

Illinois Drake
% In-State 71% 35%
% Out-of-State 11% 63%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign is larger than than Drake based on total student enrollment (56,916 students vs. 4,685 students)

Illinois vs. Drake Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Illinois or Drake?

  • Drake University is 281.3% more expensive to attend than Illinois for in-state tuition ($47,564.00 vs. $12,474.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 56.2% higher at Drake than University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign ($47,564.00 vs. $30,446.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign than Drake ($14,544 vs. $30,333)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Drake University are 9.9% lower than costs at University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign ($11,570 vs. $12,720)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Drake University than University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign (100% vs. 54%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Drake University students is 88.9% larger than aid received University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign ($31,274 vs. $16,552)

Illinois vs. Drake Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign (1305) is 81 points higher than at Drake (1224)
  • Incoming Illinois students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (29) than students at Drake (27)
  • Accepted freshman Illinois students have a 0.09 point higher average high school GPA (3.79) than students at Drake (3.7)
  • Drake has a higher acceptance rate (67.2%) than Illinois (44.8%)

Illinois vs. Drake Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Illinois is higher than Drake University (82% vs. 75%)
  • Graduates from Drake University earn on average $2,000 more per year than Illinois graduates after ten years. ($68,500 vs. $66,500)
  • University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign students graduate with a $5,500 lower median federal student loan debt than Drake graduates. ($20,500 vs. $26,000)
  • Illinois graduates are paying $57 less per month on federal student loans than Drake graduates. ($211 vs. $268)
  • More Drake graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Illinois students, three years after graduation. (84% vs. 78%)

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