Illinois vs. Oberlin

Deciding between University of Illinois Urbana Champaign and Oberlin College? The table below shows tuition, aid, admissions, and outcomes side by side. Data comes from public sources across more than 3,000 U.S. colleges and universities. No account is required.

University of Illinois Urbana Champaign
Oberlin College

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  • Overview

  • Location
  • Illinois Champaign, IL
  • Oberlin Oberlin, OH
  • Setting
  • Illinois Small City
  • Oberlin Midsize Suburban
  • Total enrollment
  • Illinois 59,238
  • Oberlin 2,909
  • Type
  • Illinois Public 4 Year
  • Oberlin Private 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Illinois #117
  • Oberlin #153
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Illinois -
  • Oberlin -
  • Status
  • Illinois Non-profit
  • Oberlin Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Illinois
  • Oberlin

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Illinois $16,004
  • Oberlin $67,366
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Illinois $35,124
  • Oberlin $67,366
  • Room & Board
  • Illinois $14,522
  • Oberlin $19,510
  • Average Net Price
  • Illinois $13,973
  • Oberlin $51,624
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Illinois $19,299
  • Oberlin $35,780
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Illinois 52%
  • Oberlin 99%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Illinois 73,742
  • Oberlin 10,536
  • Admitted
  • Illinois 31,247
  • Oberlin 3,601
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Illinois 42.4%
  • Oberlin 34.2%
  • Enrolled
  • Illinois 28.8%
  • Oberlin 19.5%
  • Typical SAT score
  • Illinois 1420
  • Oberlin 1440
  • Typical ACT score
  • Illinois 32
  • Oberlin 32
  • Average High School GPA
  • Illinois 3.79
  • Oberlin 3.67
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Illinois A-
  • Oberlin A-
  • Admissions Standards
  • Illinois Exceptional
  • Oberlin Exceptional
  • Applicant Competition
  • Illinois Low
  • Oberlin High
  • ACT Range
  • Illinois 30/34
  • Oberlin 31/34
  • SAT Range
  • Illinois 1310/1520
  • Oberlin 1360/1520
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Illinois Test optional
  • Oberlin Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • Illinois Jan 5, 2027
  • Oberlin Jan 15, 2027

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Illinois 20:1
  • Oberlin 9:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Illinois
    • Engineering (16%)
    • Business (13%)
    • Social Sciences (10%)
    • Communication (8%)
    • Psychology (7%)
  • Oberlin
    • Visual and Performing Arts (26%)
    • Social Sciences (13%)
    • Biology (12%)
    • English and Literature (9%)
    • Ethnic Studies (9%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • Illinois 82%
  • Oberlin 88%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • Illinois $66,500
  • Oberlin $43,900
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • Illinois 78%
  • Oberlin 82%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • Illinois $20,500
  • Oberlin $26,579
  • Median Loan Payment
  • Illinois $211
  • Oberlin $274

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Illinois 54%
  • Oberlin 41%
  • % Women
  • Illinois 46%
  • Oberlin 59%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Illinois High
  • Oberlin Medium
  • HBCU
  • Illinois No
  • Oberlin No
  • % White
  • Illinois 48%
  • Oberlin 68%
  • % Asian
  • Illinois 17%
  • Oberlin 4%
  • % Black
  • Illinois 6%
  • Oberlin 5%
  • % Hispanic
  • Illinois 10%
  • Oberlin 8%
  • % Native American
  • Illinois 0%
  • Oberlin 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Illinois 0%
  • Oberlin 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Illinois 3%
  • Oberlin 6%
  • % International
  • Illinois 16%
  • Oberlin 8%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Illinois 1%
  • Oberlin 1%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Illinois 71%
  • Oberlin 6%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Illinois 14%
  • Oberlin 82%

  • Campus

  • Campus Housing
  • Illinois Yes
  • Oberlin Yes
  • Freshman Dorm Required
  • Illinois Yes
  • Oberlin No
  • Meal Plan
  • Illinois Yes
  • Oberlin Yes
  • Weekend/Evening Classes
  • Illinois No
  • Oberlin No
  • Daycare Facility
  • Illinois Yes
  • Oberlin No

Comparable Facts

Compare University of Illinois Urbana Champaign in Champaign, IL with Oberlin College in Oberlin, OH on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

University of Illinois Urbana Champaign is larger than Oberlin based on total student enrollment (59,238 students vs. 2,909 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • University of Illinois Urbana Champaign is located in Champaign, IL (Small City setting); Oberlin College is in Oberlin, OH (Midsize Suburban setting).
  • University of Illinois Urbana Champaign is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. Oberlin College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: University of Illinois Urbana Champaign 20:1; Oberlin College 9:1.

Illinois vs. Oberlin Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Illinois or Oberlin? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Illinois Urbana Champaign than Oberlin ($13,973 vs. $51,624).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Illinois Urbana Champaign are 25.6% lower than at Oberlin College ($14,522 vs. $19,510).
  • Oberlin College is 320.9% more expensive for in-state tuition than Illinois (about $51,362 more per year; $67,366.00 vs. $16,004.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 91.8% higher at Oberlin than at University of Illinois Urbana Champaign (about $32,242 more per year; $67,366.00 vs. $35,124.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Oberlin College than at University of Illinois Urbana Champaign (99% vs. 52%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Oberlin College students is 85.4% larger than aid received by University of Illinois Urbana Champaign students ($35,780 vs. $19,299).

Illinois vs. Oberlin Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Illinois or Oberlin? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between Oberlin and Illinois.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at Oberlin College (1440) is 20 points higher than at Illinois (1420).
  • Incoming Illinois students have the same typical ACT composite (median estimate; 32) as students at Oberlin (32).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: University of Illinois Urbana Champaign 1310/1520; Oberlin College 1360/1520.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: University of Illinois Urbana Champaign 30/34; Oberlin College 31/34.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Illinois - Test optional; Oberlin - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: Illinois Jan 5, 2027; Oberlin Jan 15, 2027.
  • Accepted freshman Illinois students have a 0.12 point higher average high school GPA (3.79) than students at Oberlin (3.67).
  • Illinois has a higher acceptance rate (42.4%) than Oberlin (34.2%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 28.8% at Illinois vs. 19.5% at Oberlin.

Illinois vs. Oberlin Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Illinois and Oberlin? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

  • Oberlin College's six-year graduation rate (88%) is higher than University of Illinois Urbana Champaign's (82%).
  • Graduates from University of Illinois Urbana Champaign earn a median of about $22,600 more per year than Oberlin graduates about ten years after starting college ($66,500 vs. $43,900), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, University of Illinois Urbana Champaign graduates have a $6,079 lower median loan debt than Oberlin graduates ($20,500 vs. $26,579).
  • Among borrowers, Illinois graduates have an estimated $63 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Oberlin graduates ($211 vs. $274).
  • More Oberlin graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Illinois students, three years after graduation. (82% vs. 78%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.