Illinois vs. IU

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

 Illinois IU
Location Champaign, IL Bloomington, IN
Setting Small City Small City
Enrollment 56,916 47,005
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #106 #200
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website illinois.edu iub.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Illinois IU
Tuition (In State) $12,474 $10,012
Tuition (Out of State) $30,446 $37,685
Room & Board $12,720 $12,228
Avg Net Price $14,544 $16,234
Avg Grant Aid $16,552 $10,336
% Receiving Grant Aid 54% 74%

Admission

 Illinois IU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 63,257 50,080
Admitted 28,354 41,272
Acceptance Rate 44.8% 82.4%
Enrolled % 28.1% 23.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.79 3.74
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Exceptional Very High
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 29/34 27/32
SAT Range 1320/1510 1180/1400
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 IU
Student to Faculty Ratio 21:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (16%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Business (21%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (8%)
  • Education (7%)

Outcomes

 Illinois IU
Graduation Rate 82% 72%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $66,500 $56,200
Making Student Loan Payments 78% 72%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,500 $22,500
Median Loan Payment $211 $232

Diversity

 Illinois IU
% Men 54% 51%
% Women 46% 49%
Racial Diversity Very High Low
HBCU No No
% White 48% 71%
% Black 6% 4%
% Hispanic 10% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 16% 11%
% Unknown Race 1% 0%

Students

 Illinois IU
% In-State 71% 51%
% Out-of-State 11% 42%

Campus

 Illinois IU
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required Yes No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
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 IU based on total student enrollment (56,916 students vs. 47,005 students)

Illinois vs. IU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Illinois or IU?

  • University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign is 24.6% more expensive to attend than IU for in-state tuition ($12,474.00 vs. $10,012.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 23.8% higher at IU than University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign ($37,685.00 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 IU ($14,544 vs. $16,234)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Indiana University Bloomington are 4% lower than costs at University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign ($12,228 vs. $12,720)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Indiana University Bloomington than University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign (74% vs. 54%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign students is 60.1% larger than aid received Indiana University Bloomington ($16,552 vs. $10,336)

Illinois vs. IU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign (1305) is 106 points higher than at IU (1199)
  • Incoming Illinois students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (29) than students at IU (27)
  • Accepted freshman Illinois students have a 0.05 point higher average high school GPA (3.79) than students at IU (3.74)
  • IU has a higher acceptance rate (82.4%) than Illinois (44.8%)

Illinois vs. IU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Illinois is higher than Indiana University Bloomington (82% vs. 72%)
  • Graduates from University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign earn on average $10,300 more per year than IU graduates after ten years. ($66,500 vs. $56,200)
  • University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign students graduate with a $2,000 lower median federal student loan debt than IU graduates. ($20,500 vs. $22,500)
  • Illinois graduates are paying $21 less per month on federal student loans than IU graduates. ($211 vs. $232)
  • More Illinois graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former IU students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 72%)

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