Illinois vs. Rutgers

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

 Illinois Rutgers
Location Champaign, IL New Brunswick, NJ
Setting Small City Small City
Enrollment 56,916 50,637
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #106 #112
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website illinois.edu rutgers.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Illinois Rutgers
Tuition (In State) $12,474 $12,900
Tuition (Out of State) $30,446 $30,600
Room & Board $12,720 $13,909
Avg Net Price $14,544 $17,535
Avg Grant Aid $16,552 $12,785
% Receiving Grant Aid 54% 57%

Admission

 Illinois Rutgers
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 63,257 41,654
Admitted 28,354 27,612
Acceptance Rate 44.8% 66.3%
Enrolled % 28.1% 28.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.79 3.3
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Exceptional Exceptional
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 29/34 28/33
SAT Range 1320/1510 1270/1480
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 Rutgers
Student to Faculty Ratio 21:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (16%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • Engineering (8%)

Outcomes

 Illinois Rutgers
Graduation Rate 82% 77%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $66,500 $66,200
Making Student Loan Payments 78% 68%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,500 $22,215
Median Loan Payment $211 $229

Diversity

 Illinois Rutgers
% Men 54% 46%
% Women 46% 54%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 48% 42%
% Black 6% 7%
% Hispanic 10% 13%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 16% 7%
% Unknown Race 1% 2%

Students

 Illinois Rutgers
% In-State 71% 85%
% Out-of-State 11% 8%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign is larger than than Rutgers based on total student enrollment (56,916 students vs. 50,637 students)

Illinois vs. Rutgers Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Illinois or Rutgers?

  • Rutgers University New Brunswick is 3.4% more expensive to attend than Illinois for in-state tuition ($12,900.00 vs. $12,474.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 0.5% higher at Rutgers than University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign ($30,600.00 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 Rutgers ($14,544 vs. $17,535)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign are 9.3% lower than costs at Rutgers University New Brunswick ($12,720 vs. $13,909)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Rutgers University New Brunswick than University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign (57% vs. 54%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign students is 29.5% larger than aid received Rutgers University New Brunswick ($16,552 vs. $12,785)

Illinois vs. Rutgers Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign (1305) is 80 points higher than at Rutgers (1225)
  • Accepted freshman Illinois students have a 0.49 point higher average high school GPA (3.79) than students at Rutgers (3.3)
  • Rutgers has a higher acceptance rate (66.3%) than Illinois (44.8%)

Illinois vs. Rutgers Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Illinois is higher than Rutgers University New Brunswick (82% vs. 77%)
  • Graduates from University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign earn on average $300 more per year than Rutgers graduates after ten years. ($66,500 vs. $66,200)
  • University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign students graduate with a $1,715 lower median federal student loan debt than Rutgers graduates. ($20,500 vs. $22,215)
  • Illinois graduates are paying $18 less per month on federal student loans than Rutgers graduates. ($211 vs. $229)
  • More Illinois graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Rutgers students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 68%)

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