Illinois vs. Northwestern

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

 Illinois Northwestern
Location Champaign, IL Evanston, IL
Setting Small City Small City
Enrollment 56,563 23,203
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #120 #16
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website illinois.edu northwestern.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Illinois Northwestern
Tuition (In State) $12,712 $64,887
Tuition (Out of State) $31,208 $64,887
Room & Board $13,938 $20,334
Avg Net Price $14,297 $23,341
Avg Grant Aid $17,524 $64,463
% Receiving Grant Aid 48% 52%

Admission

 Illinois Northwestern
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 67,398 51,769
Admitted 29,446 3,703
Acceptance Rate 43.7% 7.2%
Enrolled % 28.3% 57%
Avg High School GPA 3.79 3.92
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Exceptional Elite
Applicant Competition Low Extreme
ACT Range 29/34 33/35
SAT Range 1270/1510 1490/1560
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 Jan 1, 2026

Academics

 Illinois Northwestern
Student to Faculty Ratio 20:1 6:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (16%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Social Sciences (25%)
  • Communication (14%)
  • Engineering (11%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)
  • Psychology (8%)

Outcomes

 Illinois Northwestern
Graduation Rate 82% 94%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $66,500 $89,800
Making Student Loan Payments 78% 87%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,500 $19,378
Median Loan Payment $211 $200

Diversity

 Illinois Northwestern
% Men 21% 27%
% Women 16% 33%
Racial Diversity Very High High
HBCU No No
% White 48% 50%
% Black 6% 6%
% Hispanic 10% 12%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 5%
% International 16% 8%
% Unknown Race 1% 2%

Students

 Illinois Northwestern
% In-State 73% 22%
% Out-of-State 12% 67%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign is larger than than Northwestern based on total student enrollment (56,563 students vs. 23,203 students)

Illinois vs. Northwestern Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Illinois or Northwestern?

  • Northwestern University is 410.4% more expensive to attend than Illinois for in-state tuition ($64,887.00 vs. $12,712.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 107.9% higher at Northwestern than University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign ($64,887.00 vs. $31,208.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign than Northwestern ($14,297 vs. $23,341)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign are 45.9% lower than costs at Northwestern University ($13,938 vs. $20,334)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Northwestern University than University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign (52% vs. 48%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Northwestern University students is 267.9% larger than aid received University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign ($64,463 vs. $17,524)

Illinois vs. Northwestern Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Northwestern University (1460) is 155 points higher than at Illinois (1305)
  • Incoming Northwestern students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (33) than students at Illinois (29)
  • Accepted freshman Northwestern students have a 0.13 point higher average high school GPA (3.92) than students at Illinois (3.79)
  • Illinois has a higher acceptance rate (43.7%) than Northwestern (7.2%)

Illinois vs. Northwestern Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Northwestern is higher than University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign (94% vs. 82%)
  • Graduates from Northwestern University earn on average $23,300 more per year than Illinois graduates after ten years. ($89,800 vs. $66,500)
  • Northwestern University students graduate with a $1,122 lower median federal student loan debt than Illinois graduates. ($19,378 vs. $20,500)
  • Northwestern graduates are paying $11 less per month on federal student loans than Illinois graduates. ($200 vs. $211)
  • More Northwestern graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Illinois students, three years after graduation. (87% vs. 78%)

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