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 56,916 23,161
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #106 #15
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website illinois.edu northwestern.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Illinois Northwestern
Tuition (In State) $12,474 $62,391
Tuition (Out of State) $30,446 $62,391
Room & Board $12,720 $19,440
Avg Net Price $14,544 $22,095
Avg Grant Aid $16,552 $61,716
% Receiving Grant Aid 54% 50%

Admission

 Illinois Northwestern
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 63,257 51,261
Admitted 28,354 3,695
Acceptance Rate 44.8% 7.2%
Enrolled % 28.1% 55.2%
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 1320/1510 1490/1570
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 Jan 1, 2025

Academics

 Illinois Northwestern
Student to Faculty Ratio 21:1 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 54% 46%
% Women 46% 54%
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 71% 22%
% Out-of-State 11% 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 (56,916 students vs. 23,161 students)

Illinois vs. Northwestern Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Illinois or Northwestern?

  • Northwestern University is 400.2% more expensive to attend than Illinois for in-state tuition ($62,391.00 vs. $12,474.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 104.9% higher at Northwestern than University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign ($62,391.00 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 Northwestern ($14,544 vs. $22,095)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign are 52.8% lower than costs at Northwestern University ($12,720 vs. $19,440)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign than Northwestern University (54% vs. 50%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Northwestern University students is 272.9% larger than aid received University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign ($61,716 vs. $16,552)

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 (44.8%) 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/